We've seen a lot of shifts and change this year—the continued uptick in check fraud, the election, credit union acquisitions, etc.—but we community bankers are as steadfast, scrappy and resilient as ever. In fact, we show no signs of slowing down. According to Rebeca Romero Rainey, ICBA president and CEO, we've had a very successful year for ICBA's advocacy and grassroots efforts.

Take the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Section 1033, for example, where ICBA helped secure an exemption for community banks under $850 million. "What this this exemption tells me is that we've been very effective and have been heard that the challenges for some of our smaller institutions when it comes to working, for example, with the corporate service providers and being able to provide these solutions with while not completely increasing the cost to do is an incredible challenge," says Romero Rainey. "It's an example of what we've been able to achieve over the years."

ICBA's pushback against Section 1033 is just the tip of the iceberg. In this episode, Romero Rainey and host Charles Potts reflect on 2024 advocacy and look ahead to the wins we are likely to see in 2025, thanks to the past year's efforts.

This episode is sponsored by FIS.

Links

• Advocate for your industry by writing and speaking to your members of Congress. Check out our grassroots lobbying resources here.
• Want to dig into ICBA's innovation pillar? Take a look at our cutting-edge webinars and solution providers, courtesy of ICBA Innovation.
• Be sure to read Independent Banker magazine's monthly Checks & Balances column, where we cover the legislative and regulatory issues we see and fight every day.