Independent Banker - June 2022 - 33

calendars fi ll up quickly, so now is
the time to start reaching out.
Plan a meeting. Reach out to
legislative staff to introduce yourself
and request a meeting. Details are
key. Let them know why you want
to meet with them and what issues
you'd like to talk about. It might
take some follow up to schedule the
meeting, so be persistent and polite.
Don't be discouraged if you are
off ered a meeting with staff . They
are valuable contacts and extremely
infl uential. It is absolutely worth
your while.
Invite your legislator to visit
your community bank. If looking
to host your lawmaker at your
community bank, emphasize who
will be in attendance, what will
be discussed and exactly why
you would like to meet with the
lawmaker. These kinds of specifi cs
make it more likely the request
will be approved. If you're granted
a visit, use the opportunity to
highlight how your community
bank makes a diff erence in the
community and how the policies
you're advocating for will help you
better serve your customers.
Attend a political fundraiser.
August recess is a great time to
attend a political fundraiser in your
state to support the election of
pro-community bank candidates.
Whether it's your only chance for
face time or it gives you another
opportunity to reinforce your
message, fundraisers are a way to
show lawmakers that you value
their support.
Whenever possible, bankers
should reach out to their ICBA
affi liated state groups, as well, to
let them know about a meeting and
even invite them to it, if appropriate.
For political fundraisers,
community bankers can reach
out to Mary Randolph Gannon
[Lawmakers will] want to check the pulse
of their communities so they can better
understand their wants and needs-and
no one is better equipped to provide those
insights than a community banker.
(maryrandolph.gannon@icba.org)
to fi nd out if ICBPAC might be able to
provide assistance.
Key legislative priorities
As we roll into the midterm elections,
communities should take advantage
of August recess to advocate for
legislative priorities. Ask members of
Congress to:
 Prevent SBA direct lending.
Cosponsor legislation (H.R.
6037/S. 3382) to save taxpayers
money by preventing Small
Business Administration (SBA)
direct lending.
 Tax fairness to promote rural
prosperity. Support the ECORA
Act (H.R. 1977/S. 2202), which
will provide lower interest rates
and better terms on rural loans by
providing that interest on bank
loans secured by farmland and
homes in rural communities is
tax exempt.
 Create a safe harbor for legal
cannabis businesses. The Senate
should pass The SAFE Banking
Act (H.R. 1996/S. 910), which
would create a federal safe harbor
for banking legal cannabis-related
businesses. The House has passed
the SAFE Banking Act six times.
 Close the ILC loophole. Support
for the Close the ILC Loophole Act
(H.R. 5912) to preserve America's
long-standing separation of banking
and commerce.
 Credit unions and Farm
Credit System lenders.
Support congressional review
of the NCUA and the FCA and
modernization of the tax code to
restore a balanced and competitive
fi nancial landscape.
 Congressional oversight of
digital assets. Examine the risks
and unintended consequences
associated with a CBDC and oppose
eff orts to introduce a CBDC.
Not sure what to say to lawmakers
or how to best advocate for your
bank and your industry? ICBA has
all the advocacy tools and tips you
need at icba.org/advocacy. From
policy highlights to best practices
for grassroots advocacy, you'll fi nd
everything you need to eff ectively
prepare for a meeting with lawmakers
or their staff .
Don't delay. Reach out today
and get on your lawmakers' August
recess calendar. 
Aaron Stetter (aaron.stetter@icba.org)
is ICBA's executive vice president for
policy and political operations.
independentbanker.org Q 33
http://www.icba.org/advocacy http://www.independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - June 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Independent Banker - June 2022
