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NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger, other senior staff and association members were on Capitol Hill yesterday for the opening of the 116th Congress to welcome new and returning legislators as they were sworn in. Berger and staff throughout the day also touted the association's 2019 priorities agenda, on which credit union growth is No. 1.

See all of the lawmakers NAFCU met with here.

"NAFCU welcomes the new and returning legislators to Washington and we look forward to working with them on issues critical to the credit union industry in this new Congress," Berger said. "As the industry's Washington Watchdog, NAFCU will work hard to ensure all lawmakers understand credit unions' unique status as not-for-profit, member-owned financial institutions, and we will build on progress made in recent years to create the regulatory environment that allows credit unions to grow and thrive."

Following the release of NAFCU's 2019 priorities, Berger sent a letter outlining them to congressional leaders Thursday. In addition to credit union growth, other priorities include maintaining a strong NCUA, promoting transparency, attaining regulatory relief, preserving the credit union tax exemption and establishing a fair and innovative market.

Berger, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and General Counsel Carrie Hunt, Vice President of Legislative Affairs Brad Thaler and other NAFCU representatives attended numerous swearing-in ceremonies and receptions Thursday, meeting with:

• Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Senate Banking Committee Chairman;

• Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member;

• Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Banking Committee;

• Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., a member of the Senate Banking and Finance Committees;

• Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Ranking Member;

• Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., a member of the Senate Banking Committee;

• Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., a member of the Senate Commerce Committee;

• Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., a member of the Senate Small Business Committee;

• Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah;

• Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.;

• Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.;

• Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman;

• Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., House Small Business Committee Chairwoman;

• Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., House Ways and Means Committee Chairman;

• Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member;

• Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, a member of the House Financial Services Committee;

• Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., a member of the House Financial Services Committee;

• Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., a member of the House Financial Services Committee;

• Rep. Ted Budd, R-N.C., a member of the House Financial Services Committee;

• Rep. Ed Perlmutter, R-Colo., a member of the House Financial Services Committee;

• Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., a member of the House Financial Services Committee;
• Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.;

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; and

• Rep. Paul Cook, R-Calif.