Pub. 14 2019-2020 Issue 4

NEBRASKA BANKERS ASSOCIATION 11 educate them on issues that are affecting your ability to serve your customers and communities. Finally, we’re succeeding in Washington because bankers continue to engage in the process. Bankers and state association executives in states that first legalized marijuana, for example, took the lead in educating their peers and lawmakers on the implications of leaving the cannabis industry unbanked. Those include the tax consequences, the public safety risks, and the impact on non-cannabis bank customers. Other bankers are shaping outcomes by participating in their state’s Washington Visit, analyzing regulatory proposals, con- ducting critical reviews of our comment letters, and responding to grassroots alerts. All of this puts us in an excellent position as we head into an election year that, yet again, could shift the balance of power. To further bolster the industry’s position in advance of the 2020 elections, the ABA is actively scaling BankPac and Voter Education initiatives with the intent of supporting Democratic and Republican candidates who understand and appreciate the important role banks of all sizes play in this country. At the same time, we’re building out our new grassroots platform, "Secure AmericanOpportunity." That’s where you’ll find information on actionable policy issues and learnwhat you can do to shape the outcome, whether it’s writing to your lawmakers or commenting on a regulatory proposal. Email Rob Nichols at rnichols@aba.com . While the ABA and your state associa- tion are working to help you succeed in the future, you are the ones dem- onstrating the critical role banks play in the economy by making sure your customers and communities have what they need to thrive. And while we don’t and won’t participate directly in the presi- dential race, we stand ready to correct the record if candidates misrepresent our industry or pursue policies that will harm your ability to serve your customers and communities.  B A N K E R S ’ B A N K • O F T H E W E S T • WE CHAMPION COMMUNITY BANKING MARLENE WADE TRACI OLIVER TARA KOESTER LEE ANDERBERY IN BUSINESS TO FURTHER YOUR BUSINESS YOUR ADVOCATES: Nebraska’s correspondent team BBWEST.COM 411 South 13 th Sreet | Lincoln, Nebraska | 402-476-0400 https://www.aba.com/advocacy/political-engagement/grassroots