DCUC hosts engaging Defense Matters 2026

The Defense Credit Union Council‘s (DCUC) Defense Matters session convened credit union leaders, policymakers, and distinguished military voices for a comprehensive discussion on key topics affecting the credit union community.

This year’s session at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. held historical significance as America approaches its 250th anniversary, with participants gathered in the nation’s capital. The discussion was especially timely in light of National Invest in Veterans Week (March 1–7) and ongoing legislative and regulatory proposals impacting the financial services sector.

“This was truly one of our strongest Defense Matters sessions to date,” said DCUC President/CEO Anthony Hernandez, Ret. USAF Colonel. “The feedback we’ve received reaffirms how impactful and informative we intended the program to be for credit unions. From the powerful perspectives shared by our distinguished speakers to the timely policy and regulatory insights delivered throughout a focused, fast-paced agenda…our goal is always to provide actionable intelligence and meaningful dialogue that empowers our movement and industry to better serve their members. This year’s session did exactly that.”

Following a networking lunch, the session commenced with an official welcome by DCUC President/CEO Anthony Hernandez, Ret. USAF Colonel, and the announcement of this year’s George E. Myers (GEM) Scholarship Fund recipients: Tyler Richards, Edwards FCU, Peter Kottwitz, Sentinel FCU, Jinette Frasier, R-G FCU, and Ainsley McCarty, Fort Sill FCU.

Hernandez then led the crowd to view an official debut of DCUC’s most recent video, “America 250: Built on Service. Sustained by Community,” commemorating America’s soon-to-be 250th anniversary. The video celebrates the communities, values, and cooperative spirit that have shaped our nation’s story. Hernandez thanked credit unions for their part in America’s journey by expanding opportunity, supporting financial well-being, and putting people over profit.

Maggie Sayer, DCUC board chair and Keys Federal Credit Union president/CEO, led attendees in honoring our DCUC’s tradition of opening with the Pledge of Allegiance. Hernandez then welcomed Retired Brigadier General Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, as an honored guest speaker.

Woodhouse’s participation offered a powerful and rare connection between the World War II generation and today’s Armed Forces. After enlisting at age 17 following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Woodhouse became a finance officer for the Tuskegee Airmen, managing payroll for thousands of personnel and contributing to the unit’s distinguished World War II record. After the war, he continued military service in the Massachusetts Reserves and later earned degrees from Yale University and Boston University School of Law. His contributions have been recognized through numerous honors, including the Congressional Gold Medal and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Woodhouse spoke of the difference credit unions make in people’s lives, by doing the right thing in handling their members’ financial well-being and being part of the solution in their communities. He reflected on memories, both challenges and triumphs he experienced and shared his outlook carried throughout the years.

“We’re all responsible for what we put into our lives, and what we give out, and having wise counsel matters during your journey,” Woodhouse reminded.

General (Ret.) Thomas A. Bussiere, United States Air Force, followed with a brief address alongside Jeff Bolton of NPN Productions to premiere a special look at “The WATCH.” The groundbreaking documentary series sheds light on the global nuclear deterrence mission, one of the most secret yet vital military operations in U.S. history.

“Why are we doing the WATCH,” Bussiere asked. “Because in the small subset of our Nation, the small subset of the Department of War, those that stand the watch of the nuclear enterprise every day, of every week, of every month, for over 70 years…in my humble opinion, their story needs to be told in their eyes. It’s an important story to tell.”

Nick Simpson, managing director of communications & public affairs for the Electronic Payments Coalition, provided an update on interchange policy and the Durbin-Marshall proposal, outlining potential impacts on credit unions and the broader financial services marketplace. Simpson noted DCUC and EPC’s joint advocacy efforts and the importance in opposing the Durbin-Marshall and recent credit card interchange proposals as potential legislative vehicles lie ahead.

“There’s legislation where we know will bring a vote, and they only have to get it right once; we have to get it right every time. At a time when we are focused on strengthening our financial system and supporting hard-working families, these mandates should be a red flag for everyone,” Simpson advised. “It’s also about the consequences these smaller institutions like yours will have and how [the mandates] will hurt the people you serve.”

Simpson provided suggestions for grassroots advocacy efforts, saying, “Talk about how the data and how the process works, how they will impact your ability to contribute. Talk about the importance of preserving the choice for consumers and for financial institutions to be effective.”

The session moved forward with a comprehensive update on legislative and regulatory priorities led by DCUC’s Chief Advocacy Officer, Jason Stverak, Elizabeth Eurgubian, Partner at Atlas Advocacy, and John McKechnie, Principal at McKechnie LLC.

The panel discussed ongoing engagement with lawmakers, regulatory developments affecting credit unions, and efforts to protect and advance policies that strengthen financial security for all communities served by the credit union movement.

“We’ve got a proactive agenda to pursue, and we may have a housing bill,” remarked McKechnie. “It’s our job as advocates to try to turn that housing bill, which is narrow, into something maybe a little broader than encompasses some credit union regulatory relief items and create a real possibility to make something good happen.”

Stverak agreed, stating, “That’s why this past week we sent a letter to the entire Senate laying down a marker to include the CLF bill led by Senators Padilla and Kramer that we’ve been the primary supporter of, and see if they could add it into the housing bill. If not, it’s still going to go to the conference committee, where we can hopefully add a banking section to the housing bill, or we could talk about board modernization, or additional deregulation efforts. So, we’re always going to try to counterpunch and find those little niches where we can share and move forward on credit union issues.”

Eurgubian also highlighted the recent deregulation initiatives led by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and encouraged credit unions to actively engage in the process by visiting the NCUA’s official website to review the proposals and submit their comments.

Congressman Mike Haridopolos, representing Florida’s 8th Congressional District, offered a “View from Capitol Hill,” sharing insights into current legislative debates and how policy decisions could directly affect military pay, veteran economic opportunity, and financial institutions serving communities across America.

“What really matters isn’t so much when you visit us here in Washington. The most valuable time you can spend with a member of Congress is back in the district,” said Congressman Haridopolos. “There, you can have a longer, more meaningful conversation about the issues of the day and what’s happening in the marketplace. Candidly, when we’re in Washington, people don’t always tell me the full story. You often hear that politicians don’t tell the truth, but the reality is that some lobbyists don’t either. That’s why it’s vital for you to call us and share what’s truly happening in the economy. We see the macro trends; we see that economic growth is up. Many of us have seen our 401(k)s rise, which is great, and inflation has come down about two and a half percent. It feels like the nation is moving in the right direction. Still, there are gaps in the economy, and that’s why those longer, in-district meetings are so important.”

When Defense Matters concluded, it marked another year of growth and forward momentum for the program.

Hernandez concluded the session by announcing key upcoming events, including DCUC’s Northwest Sub-Council Meeting in collaboration with CUES (March 27), DCUC and Best Innovation Group’s CU Unplugged (March 30-April 2), DCUC’s Overseas Conference in Bangkok, Thailand (April 20-24), and DCUC’s Annual Conference in Aventura, Florida (August 3–6), where this year’s Hall of Honor inductees will be recognized.

DCUC’s 2026 Defense Matters was made possible thanks to its generous sponsors: AFFN, ECG, Parc Street Group, VISA, ALM First, Aries Fraud Solutions, Gallagher, LendKey, Omnicommander, Risk Strategies (IZALE), State National, Tappengine, and TruStage.