Independent Banker - August 2018 - 101

Call to Action
We must keep up the
momentum
S.2155 was a great victory-but there's more
to do. By Joshua Habursky, ICBA
he historic passage of S.2155 coupled with
generational tax reform legislation will make
2018 one of the most impactful years in recent
memory for the community banking sector. The
grassroots commitment and advocacy eff orts of
community bankers across the country have been
widely noted by elected offi cials, and the impact
will resonate for months and years to come.
ICBA and community bank advocacy are certainly
in an advantageous position as the 115th
Congress closes out. However, this is no time to
rest on our laurels. There is much left to be accomplished.
The push for regulatory relief never
ceases, and community banks must never cede
the high ground as the preeminent fi nancial services
advocacy group. We have a host of issues
ahead of us, and your participation is essential in
bringing them to the forefront of Congress members'
and regulators' attention.
As ICBA prepares to advance more community
bank legislation, it is important that you recruit
new employees of your community banks to participate
in our advocacy programming. It can be
as simple as retweeting a message to a member
of Congress or as extensive as making the trip to
Washington, D.C., next spring for the ICBA Capital
Summit. All of these eff orts are a part of ICBA
advocacy, and your time and talent are needed.
In preparation for future initiatives, our advocacy
and communications team will continue to build
additional resources to make your experience
communicating with elected offi cials and regulators
more seamless and less time consuming.
We recognize that your top priority is serving
your communities to help them grow and thrive.
When we ask you to take action, know that we
T
are doing so at a pivotal time in the public policy
process, usually targeting a key offi ce, staff member
or lawmaker. To sustain our grassroots momentum,
we must deliver these messages with
the appropriate effi ciency and frequency.
Now is the time
Joshua Habursky
(joshua.
habursky@icba.
org) is ICBA's
assistant vice
president of
advocacy
As ICBA builds capacity, develops additional resources
and takes stock of existing programs, we
hope that you will engage with us and provide
constructive feedback. At the beginning of each
Congress, we survey the entire ICBA membership
to identify key contacts with elected offi cials
and preferred communication methods. When
the time comes in the early months of the 116th
Congress, please take a moment to complete the
ICBA State of Advocacy survey so that we can
grow our grassroots and " grasstops " outreach.
We'll be sending you that link directly.
It asks questions like: Do you socialize with
your member of Congress? Do you attend the
same community events? Do you want us to
send you advocacy text messages or emails? Do
you prefer Facebook over Twitter? Answering
these questions will not only improve our effi -
ciency but will also help us determine new initiatives
and modifi cations to existing programs.
Tell us what we are doing right and where we
can improve.
It's important to add that you don't have to
wait for this survey to share your opinion. Feel
free to call or email me to tell us how we are doing
or if you need help with your outreach eff orts.
The future is bright for community bank advocacy,
and your eff orts this Congress should be
applauded. In the coming months, I hope you
will remain actively engaged in our advocacy
programs and build off the momentum gained
from these recent and monumental successes.
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Independent Banker - August 2018

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