ICBA Out Front on Community Bank Advocacy

By Rebeca Romero Rainey

Just as community bankers establish symbiotic relationships with their customers and communities, ICBA and the community banking industry maintain strong bonds with policymakers of all political stripes who write the laws and regulations we live by. This week, ICBA continued leading the way in supporting the legislative efforts of pro-community bank members of Congress with a bipartisan campaign to encourage and applaud their work on Capitol Hill.

As a key component of our ongoing strategic advocacy campaigns, ICBA began delivering tens of thousands of mailings targeting the constituents of 13 members of the House and Senate who have stood up for Main Street. Just as community bankers practice a relationship-based banking model that is mutually beneficial for bank and customer alike, ICBA positively reinforces the efforts of those who promote community banking policies in Washington.

It’s pretty simple—at ICBA, our politics is community banking. We cut through partisan divisions to support the work of community banking champions, Republicans and Democrats alike. With the passage of S. 2155 this spring, ICBA is out front, increasing awareness and encouraging the law’s supporters to continue advancing legislation to further local lending, economic growth and job creation.

The direct-to-constituent postcards spotlight the critical role of Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) as well as Reps. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Lou Correa (D-Calif.), Sean Duffy (R-Wis.), Bill Foster (D-Ill.), French Hill (R-Ark.), Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.), Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and David Scott (D-Ga.).

This is all part of an ongoing campaign to support the work of our community banking allies in Washington. ICBA continues working on multiple fronts to maximize support for the work of many other lawmakers who have been community banking champions in Congress, particularly those who endorsed S. 2155.

With so many pressing policy issues facing our industry, ICBA will continue harnessing the collective power of community banks to directly engage lawmakers and their constituents. Please join us in continuing to use the variety of advocacy resources available from ICBA to be active and be heard in Washington and across the nation.

Rebeca Romero Rainey is president and CEO of ICBA.