CUNA Runs Ads to Urge 'No TAG' as Vote Approaches

Ads on Washington radio and in Capitol Hill publications--as well as messages across social media--are taking on banks' opposition to credit union business lending legislation, and attacking banks' support for legislation providing unlimited deposit insurance coverage for deposits in noninterest bearing accounts. The ads were placed by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) as a procedural vote on a bank-backed bill that would extend the Transaction Account Guarantee (TAG) program looms this afternoon in the Senate-- and as CUNA and the Leagues fight to keep the credit union member business legislation alive for consideration by the Senate.

S. 3637, the deposit insurance legislation, would extend unlimited deposit insurance coverage granted during the financial crisis for noninterest bearing transaction accounts. Coverage is set to revert back to $250,000 at year's end without congressional action. The bill is strongly favored by major bank trade associations.

The environment on Capitol Hill continues to be volatile as the very partisan fight over automatic tax hikes and spending cuts drags on and congressional calendars are subject to continuous change. Within that very fluid legislative environment, CUNA and credit unions continue to work to find the best strategy to win a vote on an MBL cap increase.

"Our best chance for MBL passage this year is if it is part of the right package," CUNA Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs Ryan Donovan said Friday. "And for that to happen credit unions must come out full force to block a vote that would clear a TAG extension for a vote without MBL language."

In a print ad running in Politico on today and Tuesday, CUNA urges legislators not to give bankers another government handout by approving the TAG extension.

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"TAG has already cost the FDIC almost $2.5 Billion and provides a guaranteed oasis to the Banks of $1.4 Trillion. Don't expose taxpayers to potentially $1.4 Trillion in losses while the Banks are making Billions again. Don't give the Banks another TARP hand out," the CUNA print ad says.

CUNA is also seeking further support for credit union legislation that would increase the MBL cap to 27.5% of assets, up from 12.25%. In an ad running on Washington news radio station WTOP today, CUNA calls on citizens to "tell Congress to get in the game and stand up to banks" by backing U.S. House (H.R. 1418) and Senate (S. 2231) MBL bills. A video version of this audio ad is also being distributed through Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets.