Join me in D.C. for our annual Washington Summit

Each spring, the Texas Bankers Association hosts more than 100 Texas bankers from all across Texas where we join our counterparts from all over the nation at ABA’s Washington Summit. During the event we will visit the entire Texas Congressional delegation and hear from senior regulators and national policymakers on legislative and regulatory issues that impact our banks, communities and, most importantly, our customers. This year’s event is scheduled for March 23-25.

The ABA’s program this year includes speakers such as CNN political analyst Bakari Sellers and Republican strategist Leslie Sanchez. In addition to the content provided by the ABA, TBA will schedule appointments for our group with each member of the Texas Congressional delegation and both of our senators.

These visits with members of Congress and their staffs are the perfect opportunity for us to tell our lawmakers anecdotes specific to their districts and its constituents, such as the need to pass data security legislation for retailers and others to safeguard customer information — after all, banks have had the obligation to protect their customers’ sensitive financial information for years now. Or, the need to reform Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering to make it more efficient and better serve the needs of law enforcement.

Every one of us has stories to tell about legislation or a regulation that has adversely impacted our customers. Having been on many visits with lawmakers, I know they listen to their constituents; after all, we are the ones who helped get them elected! TBA does, however, take steps to prepare us for our time on Capitol Hill. Not only will we have a Texas-specific briefing during our Sunday evening reception, we’ve also planned a webinar in advance of our trip to ensure bankers know what to expect when we get to D.C.

TBA welcomes first-timers and next generation bank leaders. The TBA Board of Directors has again authorized staff to provide $1,000 stipends for first-time attendees. In addition, TBA pays the cost for recent Management Development Program graduates to attend as a capstone to the MDP program. Not only is the perspective of first-time attendees and MDP graduates very important, we also want them to be engaged in moving our industry forward and advocating on the industry’s behalf long after they return from their D.C. visits.

The Washington Summit is a big time commitment for participants. Rest assured that TBA takes special care to ensure that the time you spend out of your bank attending this immensely important event is worthwhile. That’s not to say that there won’t be a few fun events scheduled in as well.

This year’s Summit falls during the beginning of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, so it’s a beautiful time to be in the District.

There are many ways to have an impact on a national level, and, in my opinion, there is no greater way to influence legislators than taking the time to visit them in their offices in D.C. and telling them and their D.C. staff exactly how banking legislation/ regulation plays out in their districts. Every one of us knows first-hand what works, what doesn’t and why.

But if we don’t speak up and tell our stories, there’s a good chance they’ll never know. And there is no better time than right before the 2020 elections to make our voices heard loud and clear.
Please join me on March 23-25 as we amplify our voices and flex our political muscularity on behalf of an industry that we all love. Together we can and will make a difference!