Independent Banker - June 2017 - 24

Grassroots
they can't rely exclusively on their
input. Legislators who want to keep
their jobs-and that's all of them-
seek constituent feedback to help
them make decisions.
That's where community bankers
come in. In politics, as in banking, personal
relationships and trust still come
into play. Whether it's in Washington,
D.C., or back at home, communication
between bankers and elected officials
plays a critical role in supporting the
work of ICBA's lobbyists. Lobbyists
can explain the pros and cons of an
issue or help a member understand
which other members support a bill,
but only community bankers can
provide personal, real-world insight
into how a bill or banking issue will
ultimately affect their communities.
" Members of Congress aren't
going to vote for a bill because Brian
Cooney asked them to, " says Brian
Cooney, ICBA senior vice president
and senior legislative counsel, congressional
relations, whose lobbying
How to be heard
There are more options for reaching out to Congress than ever before, from
social media and email to old-fashioned phone calls, faxes and letters. But
the very best thing bankers can do is take a page from their own playbook
and build relationships with members of Congress and their staff.
That means more than the occasional email. Community bankers should
introduce themselves to members and key staff and reach out to them when
they are in town. They can invite them to the bank so they can learn more
about what the bank does and how the regulatory burden limits its ability to
make loans. Bankers can attend functions and fundraisers and aid lawmakers
by providing insight into the district or state. They can participate in
ICBA's annual Capital Summit to help send a message of industry strength.
" It's got to be an ongoing process for bankers, " says John Hand, ICBA
first vice president, congressional relations, who notes that often months
go by without a member voting on anything related to community banking.
When the time comes to ask for support for a piece of legislation or other
issue, bankers with a relationship will be in the best position to get results.
Those who don't take the initiative to engage with members of Congress
could be leaving an opening for foes. Credit unions are known for their tremendous
grassroots support, flying in credit union members to defend the
institutions' power grabs and unfair tax advantage. It makes their message,
coming from voters, hard to ignore.
" It's more important now than ever before that bankers are engaged, "
sums up Hand. " Members of Congress need to hear from bankers. There is
no way around that. "
-Kelly Pike
Kelly Pike is a writer in Virginia.
24 ICBA IndependentBanker June 2017
career has spanned
more than 30 years.
" When a member
decides whether or not
to support a particular
piece of legislation, they
do it through a prism of their
districts and home state-as they
should. They are going to vote
because they have heard from a community
banker whom they trust from
back home. "
If you missed our
interview with Brian
Cooney and John
Hand last month, find
it at independentbanker.org
__________
________
Consider
the results
of the 2016 ICBA
Capital Summit, where
nearly 1,000 community
bankers flew into Washington,
D.C., to lobby for
regulatory and tax relief. Over the
Real results
This isn't just the observation of
longtime lobbyists. A study released
by the Congressional Management
Foundation earlier this year found,
" Direct constituent interactions have
more influence on lawmakers' decisions
than other advocacy strategies. "
More than 90 percent of congressional
staff surveyed over 10 years
said undecided lawmakers could be
swayed by constituents who visited
in person, the study found.
next two weeks, the House Financial
Services Committee voted for several
of ICBA's key regulatory relief bills.
Other times, bankers have successfully
asked members of Congress to
cosponsor ICBA-backed regulatory
relief bills, building the momentum to
get the bill a hearing, through markup
or onto the floor for a vote.
The same Congressional Management
Foundation study also found
members of Congress and their staff
are interested in information about
how an issue will affect their state or
district, with 79 percent saying " a per " When
a member
decides whether or not
to support a particular
piece of legislation,
they do it through a
prism of their districts
and home state-as
they should. "
-BRIAN COONEY, ICBA
sonal story from a constituent related
to the bill or issue would be helpful. "
Yet just 9 percent say they frequently
receive information about community
impact and just 18 percent frequently
hear helpful personal stories.
Sometimes, lawmakers hear nothing
at all, which can directly undercut
a lobbyist's work, as Cooney can attest.
" I've had situations with other
advocacy groups where a member
of Congress tells me that what I'm
saying is all well and good, but he
hasn't heard from anyone in his
district about this, " he recalls. " That's
not something that will help advance
the position you're advocating as a
lobbyist. "
http://www.qmags.com/clickthrough.asp?url=www.independentbanker.org&id=20263&adid=P24E1
Independent Banker - June 2017

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