Speaking at the Iowa Credit Union Convention on Friday,presidential candidate and Texas Gov. Rick Perry questioned theneed for the 12.25% member business lending cap.

“You serve small businesses and you need to have that memberbusiness lending cap raised. That is an arbitrary number thatsomeone said was 12%, and why its 12% no one can answer,” Perrysaid to more than 250 attendees at the Iowa league meeting.

Perry commented on the difficulty small businesses are havingaccessing capital and said now is the time to consider increasingthe MBL cap for credit unions, the league said.

Such a move which would inject $13 billion in loans into thenational economy and create as many as 140,000 new jobs, with nocost to taxpayers, according to the league.

The Texas governor also highlighted his support of Lone Starcredit unions.

“Credit unions in my state generate three quarters of a billiondollars in salaries, employ 18,000 workers and provide billions ofdollars in capital for families and businesses. Protecting theirtax status was an important part of protecting their importanteconomic investments,” Perry said.

Iowa CU League President/CEO Patrick Jury said he's hopingPerry's attention on the MBL issue will aid in growing bi-partisansupport.

“We were very pleased to hear Governor Perry's support forraising the member business lending cap,” Jury said. “This is acommon-sense solution that should be advanced by this Congress.”