"We are going to get financing to small businesses as quickly as we can so that they can continue with the urgent reconstruction of their local economies." -SBA Administrator Hector Barreto on the agency's new GO Loan program. CUNA is encouraging CUs to get more involved, but seeking clarification. "It is hard to comprehend how only one of the 10 largest credit unions would meet the criteria of complex, especially when the GAO reported in 2003 that larger credit unions (those with more than $100 million in assets) appear to be offering very similar services to peer banks." -American Bankers Association Senior Economist Keith Leggett in a letter to NCUA Chairman JoAnn Johnson urging CU risk-based capital reform to parallel the banking regulators' efforts. "It's pretty clear they're not going to be a part of the regulatory relief bill, at least in the House." -

CUNA Vice President of Legislative Affairs and Senior Legislative Counsel Gary Kohn on attempts to get risk-based capital reform and expanded business lending powers for credit unions into H.R. 3505, the Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act.