CUNA GAC, Washington, D.C., March 2019 (Image: CU Times).
A new wrinkle has come into play for those attending CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference next month: Washington, D.C.'s new vaccine mandate.
CUNA officials stated Tuesday that plans are still moving forward for GAC to remain an in-person event Feb. 27-March 3 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, with some aspects of the conference being virtual.
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On Monday, Washington, D.C. government officials, along with city's health department, signed Mayor's Order 2021-148, which implements a city-wide vaccination entry requirement for people to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination "to enter indoor facilities within the city."
According to the announcement, this requirement applies to those entering restaurants, bars, hotel common areas, gyms and convention centers. As of Jan. 15, the city will require those ages 12 and older to show proof of at least one dose of the vaccine to enter indoor facilities. By Feb. 15, people must show proof of their fully-vaccinated status to enter most, if not all, establishments within the city.
According to a statement from the convention center, the following are acceptable types of proof of vaccination:
- CDC issued vaccination card: Original or photocopy or photo.
- Immunization record print-out from the patient portal of their vaccine/health care provider.
- A COVID-19 Verification App such as VaxYes or CLEAR.
On Tuesday, CUNA Chief Products and Services Officer Todd Spiczenski said, "We are working closely with the convention center staff regarding the new requirements and the implications this will have for all of our GAC attendees."
He continued, "To that end, we are working with a vendor partner on a full vaccination verification program for GAC attendees that will be implemented prior to the actual GAC event. The specifics and logistics for that will be available very soon."
Spiczenski stated that CUNA continues to work on a "limited content virtual option" for those not attending the in-person event. Details and pricing of the virtual option will be released soon, according to Spiczenski.
He added, "Obviously, we truly hope to see as many credit union advocates in D.C., as the true power of the GAC has always been for all of us at CUNA, leagues and credit union system partners coming together and we continue to move forward with that plan."
Historically, the in-person GAC has attracted roughly 6,000 people to Washington, D.C.
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Michael Ogden
Editor-in-Chief at CU Times. To connect, email at [email protected]. As Editor-in-Chief of CU Times since 2016, Michael Ogden has led the editorial team in all aspects of content strategy and execution, including the creation of the publication’s exclusive and proprietary research database of the credit union industry’s economic landscape. Under Michael’s leadership, CU Times has successfully shifted to an all-digital editorial product with new focuses on the payments, fraud, lending and regulatory beats. Most recently, he introduced a data-focused editorial product for subscribers that breaks down credit union issues into hard data, allowing for a deeper and more factual narrative for readers. In 2024, he launched the "Shared Accounts With CU Times" podcast, which offers a fresh, inside-the-newsroom perspective through interviews with leaders from the credit union industry and the regulatory world. He dives into pressing credit union issues, while revealing the personalities working behind-the-scenes to push the credit union world forward. His background includes years as a radio and TV anchor/reporter and a public relations and digital/social media manager, where he covered the food and music industries, as well as cooperatives and credit unions. Over the years, he has launched numerous exclusive video and podcast series, including a successful series of interactive backstage interviews with musicians at music festivals, showcasing his social media and live streaming production skills.
