Again, this past May, a contingent of ICBC bankers traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Independent Community Bankers of America’s Capital Summit. The purpose of the summit is for state community bank associations and their members to meet with their U.S. Congressional delegation and regulatory agencies, and to discuss and advocate for current issues that are particularly relevant and important to community banking.

Our group met with each of our 10 elected federal officials and/or key members of their staff that handle banking matters for them. We delivered materials to reinforce the lawmakers’ familiarity with ICBC, its members, its mission and the topical matters that impact us and our communities. This year, those included:
Differentiating community banks and urging restraint from taking any legislative or special assessment recourse against community banks in the wake of the recent regional bank closures.

• Support for S. 1159/H.R. 1006 to real the CFPB’s Section 1071 Rule
• Support for Congressional Oversight of Digital Assets and Opposition to a central bank digital currency
• Support for ACRE Act (H.R. 3139) and a Farm Bill that strengthens rural communities
• Support for Congressional Hearings to review the current state of credit union and Farm Credit System regulations
• Support in closing the ILC loophole to keep the separation of commerce and banking
• Support for the Safe Bank Act (S. 1323)
  Oppose the Credit Card Competition Act

There were also regulatory panel breakout sessions where attendees posed questions to representatives from the FDIC, OCC and Federal Reserve, as well as general sessions with Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Janet Yellen, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra, and former Chair of the FDIC and former President and Chief Executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Sheila Bair.

There was a positive and encouraging reception to our community bank messaging and position requests. These face-to-face meetings, where actual banker constituents share personal stories and experiences, are always powerful and effective. And certainly, these meetings are key to establishing and maintaining channels for future communication with lawmakers on community banking issues.