WASHINGTON — Despite strong opposition from the bankers, the Credit Union Regulatory Improvements Act (H.R. 1537) continues to add co-sponsors, exceeding last year's pace.

Yesterday, Congressmen Timothy Walberg (R-Mich.), a freshman, and repeat co-sponsor Bob Filner (D-Calif.) joined the list of co-sponsors bring the total to 82. CUNA pointed out that at the two-month mark last Congress CURIA had 75 co-sponsors. CURIA was introduced two months ago this coming Tuesday.

CURIA also has six new supporters who had not signed on before or are new to Congress, more than half way to replacing the 11 who are no longer serving in the House for various reasons.

The bill has received fairly widespread support in the past, reaching 125 co-sponsors in the 109th Congress. However, it was always heavily Democratic in a Republican controlled Congress. The current balance of support for the bill is more than 2-to-1 leaning toward the Dems in the newly Democrat controlled regime.