WASHINGTON – CUNA officiallyopened its annual Government Affairs Conference Monday at theWashington Convention Center boasting a record crowd of more than4,400 attendees.

CUNA President/CEO Bill Cheney kicked off the event with ageneral assembly address, saying he has never been moreoptimistic about the future of the credit union industry. He alsotold attendees he has been discussing the Consumer FinancialProtection Bureau's new mortgage rules with Director RichardCordray, and offered hope credit unions might be exempted from moreDodd-Frank regulations.

Cheney also said according to CUNA data, credit union membershiphas grown to 100 million as of February 2014, up from 92 millionmembers in 2009.

See more: Pomp and Circumstance …

Before Cheney took the stage,CUNA opened its conference as it usual does, with the traditionalpresentation of colors by the U.S. Joint Armed Forces Color Guardand a performance by the U.S. Marine Corps Band. The Hon. Rev.Patrick J. Conroy, chaplain of the U.S. House of Representativesgave the invocation, and Patty Kimmel, chairman of the DefenseCredit Union Council, led attendees in the Pledge ofAllegiance.

See more: Blair brings Brit perspective…

Former British Prime MinisterTony Blair said during his general session Monday morning thatnobody should be surprised to learn the National Security Agency islistening in on their conversations. The statement was in responseto a question from the audience.

See more: Cyber-terrorism threat

NCUA Chairman Debbie Matzdeparted from current issues like risk-based capital and diversitystandards to address a releatively new topic out of the agency: Thethreat of cyber-terrorism. Matz said terrorists are targeting thenation's infrastructure, which includes the financial system. Matzunveiled new online resources from the NCUA to help credit unionsfight cyber-terrorism, and made additional suggestions forinformation technology team leaders.

See more: Unite for Good …

CUNA Chairman PatWesenberg, president/CEO of the $204 million Central CityCredit Union in Marshfield, Wis., also addressed the generalsession crowd Monday morning. Wesenberg talked up CUNA's Unite forGood campaign that promotes credit unions to consumers.