WASHINGTON — NCUA Board Member Gigi Hyland said Monday thatcredit unions have a great story to tell lawmakers when pushingtheir legislative agenda but that they need to be redouble theirefforts.

“Credit unions are multi-faceted and multi-relevant to thisdebate on the Hill. Credit unions are first and foremost financialservice providers, serving consumers of different economic strata,”Hyland said in a speech at NAFCU's Congressional Caucus in the Mayflower Hotel.

She said given the high unemployment and the record number ofAmericans living in poverty, credit unions must focus on how theycan create more jobs and urge lawmakers to raise the cap on member business lending.

“Credit unions, in my opinion, need to be part of the debate onhow to create jobs and stir our nation's economic recovery,” Hylandadded.

She noted that given the discussions about tax reform likely totake place among members of the House-Senate committee on deficitreduction, credit unions need to be “extraordinarily vigilant” intelling why they should keep their tax-exempt status.

Hyland recommended that credit union leaders emphasize thingsthey do for their members that make them unique, including offeringlow-interest or no-interest loans to government employees if agovernment shutdown causes a disruption in their salaries.