Rate Caps, Interchange, and the Banking Lobby: What Credit Unions Are Up Against with Jason Stverak

www.marktreichel.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/

Episode Summary

Mark Treichel sits down with Jason Stverak, Chief Advocacy Officer at the Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC), for a wide-ranging conversation on the policy threats credit unions are currently facing. From the government shutdown's impact on Coast Guard members to the proposed 10% interest rate cap, interchange regulation spreading into the states, and the banking lobby's opposition to credit union bank acquisitions — Stverak covers the full landscape of what's moving in Washington and why credit union leaders need to be paying attention.

What We Cover

The partial government shutdown and its direct impact on Coast Guard members working without pay — and how credit unions are stepping in with forbearances and emergency lending.

The ICBA's renewed push against credit union bank acquisitions, and why Stverak argues the real driver is dues protection rather than principled policy.

The proposed 10% interest rate cap: why credit unions and banks have issued joint opposition, and what a cap at that level means for members with lower credit scores.

How interchange regulation is moving from Congress into state legislatures — and why Illinois is just the beginning.

DCUC's growth (30% membership increase in the past year), its due structure, and what it means for non-defense credit unions to engage with a defense-focused trade organization.

The concept of operating "over the event horizon" — anticipating threats before they become crises.

Upcoming DCUC events including Defense Matters at GAC, CU Unplugged in San Francisco, regional sub-council meetings, the annual meeting in Miami, and an overseas meeting in Bangkok.

Connect with Jason Stverak and DCUC

Website: dcuc.org

Email: jstverak@dcuc.org