ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Representatives from NCUA's Office of Public and Congressional Affairs took questions and provided materials during National Consumer Protection Week Feb. 4-10 to members of Congress and their staffs.

NCUA was joined by several other federal agencies and consumer groups at the Capitol Hill event. "From making sure that fair and full disclosures occur during a credit union conversion, to working with credit unions to provide alternatives to predatory lending practices, to leading efforts to promote financial education as a way to create a real and practical understanding of how personal finance works, NCUA is at the forefront of national efforts to protect America's consumers," NCUA Chairman JoAnn Johnson commented. "We appreciate Congressional recognition of this vital public policy initiative as we move forward to empower consumers through better disclosures, better education, and better choices."

President George W. Bush proclaimed the week of Feb. 4 National Consumer Protection Week. In addition, the House passed H. Res. 94 recognizing the importance of this week in order to raise awareness of consumer protection options among Americans. Resources on how to avoid identity theft and fraud are available at the federal government's consumer protection Web site, www.consumer.gov.