CREDIT UNION TIMES Vol. 9, No. 2 June 3, 1998

Looking back seven years ago finds CUNA President/CEO Dan Mica fighting what he viewed as severe restrictions on member business lending from being included in the Credit Union Membership Access Act H.R. 1151. In a letter sent to all U. S. senators, Mica emphasized that CU business lending had the blessing of the U.S. Department of Treasury and he pointed out CU commercial lending financed such worthy causes as church building construction, loans to small farmers and taxicab medallion purchases. "Banks often do not want to make such loans," wrote Mica. Representatives.Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.) and Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio) also made efforts to convince members of the Senate to support H.R. 1151 by issuing a letter to members of the Senate outlining the differences between credit unions and banks. That issue also finds CUNA Mutual Group in the middle of a mass mailing to try and help credit unions reduce plastic card fraud losses. The eight-page booklet entitled "Stop Plastic Card Loss" walks through potential attacks and explains the plastic card program safety features geared toward defeating criminals.