WASHINGTON –Speakers who represented influential members of Congress for creditunions closed out the final day of CUNA's Governmental AffairsConference here Wednesday morning. Most speakers were eithersponsors of credit union legislation or leaders of financialcommittees.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) is chairwoman of the HouseFinancial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions andConsumer Credit. She could gain even more clout on Capitol Hilllater this year if she is successful in her run for the U.S.Senate, attempting to fill the seat left vacant by longtime Sen.Jay Rockefeller, who announced his retirement in late 2012.

Capito said she's still concerned about the effect the ConsumerFinancial Protection Bureau's qualified mortgage rule will have onbanks and credit unions. She said the House Financial ServicesCommittee will continue to keep a close eye on the rule.

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Sen. Mark Udall(D-Colo.) has sponsored legislation to raise the member businesslending cap for a few years, without success. However, he told hisGAC audience Wednesday morning he will not give up on passing thebill.

Udall also said credit union executives and volunteers should beproud of their business model, because it's an importantcontributor to local economic strength.

The Colorado senator also spoke out against party division inWashington, saying Democrats and Republicans need to step back,remove their red and blue jerseys, and start playing together onTeam USA.

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Rep. Bruce Braley(D-Iowa) said he's proud to stand with credit unions.

“The four most terrifying words in Washington are where do youstand?” he told his Wednesday morning GAC audience.

However, Braley said he's always stood in support of creditunions. To illustrate his position, he said back in 2005 when hefirst ran for Congress, he reported his campaign donations would besent to his credit union account, not a bank. He even showed theaudience a copy of the statement.

“That was a deliberate decision based on my values and beliefs,”he said.

Like Capito, Braley will attempt to move up to the Senate laterthis year. He is running for the seat left by the retiringDemocratic Sen. Tom Harkin.

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Rep. Derek Kilmer(D-Wash.) said he's seen first hand how credit unions providecapital to small businesses.

Two years ago, the congressman was working with a localmanufacturing business that needed additional capital toexpand.

“Luckily, they had a credit union relationship, and got thatfinancing,” he said.

Kilmer said he visited the business again recently, and learnedit had increased employment by 30% and was thriving.

“Congress neds to be aware that you support economicdevelopment,” he told his Wednesday morning audience.

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Longtime credit unionsupporter Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) has sponsored and co-signedseveral credit union bills over the years; most notably, he hasspearheaded efforts on Capitol Hill to allow credit unions toinvest in supplement capital.

Sherman said he also supports breaking up the nation's largestbanks.

“Too big to fail is too big to exist,” he said.

The California congressman also said he's not just a member of acredit union, he belongs to two credit unions: Wescom Credit Unionand Congressional Federal Credit Union. His California office islocated in a Wescom building and he uses Congressional FCU branchesand ATMs in the Capitol.

“If I ever rent out another office, I'm going to make sure thebuilding has a credit union,” he said.