Political gaming is moving into overtime on Capitol Hill, andcredit unions are scrambling to catch up to banks as the clock runs out.

The Senate's Monday calendar includes a 5:30 p.m. cloture voteto proceed with S. 3637, a bill that would extend the Ttransaction AccountGuarantee program.

While the bill includes insurance coverage parity for creditunions, NAFCU's vice president of legislative affairs, Brad Thaler,said it does not include coverage on Interest on Lawyer TrustAccounts for credit unions.

Thaler said while he's lobbying to add IOLTAs to the TAG bill,NAFCU is also pushing to include an increase to the credit unionmember business lending cap, as well.

“Given the limited timeframe Congress is working with,considering a TAG extension without IOLTA coverage and a memberbusiness lending increase for credit unions and their 95 millionmembers would be unconscionable,” Thaler wrote in a letter Thursdayto Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority LeaderMitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Thaler said a TAG-MBL package still provides senators anopportunity to create a “win-win package” that helps credit unions,community banks, small business and the economy.

“I think there are a lot of folks who would like to try to finda situation where they're not having to choose one side or theother between community banks and credit unions, so I think there'ssome receptiveness to that,” Thaler said of NAFCU's strategy.

However, any comeback victory for credit unions is subject toreferee Reid, who must determine whether amendments to the billwould be permitted. Thaler said he spoke with Reid's staff Thursdaywas told the majority leader had not yet made that decision.

While NAFCU is asking members to contact their senators and urgethem to combine credit union and bank issues in S. 3637, CUNA istaking a slightly different approach.

While Vice President of Communications Pat Keefe calledamendments to the bill unlikely, he added, “we will work foran amendment, and we are always willing to combine. But, we areencouraging a 'no' vote on a standalone TAG coming to the floor,and we will continue to push for a package that includes MBLs withsomething the banks want — TAG or fill in the blank.”

John McKechnie, partner at the Washington-based lobby firm TotalSpectrum, said his message Friday at his meets with Senate staff isthat Congress should help all types of smaller financialinstitutions, both credit unions and banks.

“Congress should not once again pass a bill to help the bankingindustry without helping credit unions with MBL legislation aswell,” he said.