Pub. 15 2020-2021 Issue 1

NEBRASKA BANKERS ASSOCIATION 11 Email Rob Nichols at rnichols@aba.com . massive amounts of federal government relief. Despite its faults, the SBA’s unprecedented PPP program— which in its first phase processed 14 years’ worth of SBA loans in less than 14 days — simply could not have been executed without banks acting as the middlemen. And thanks to the sophisticated payment system the industry has built over the years, banks have been key conduits for distributing — safely and quickly — tens of millions of economic stimulus payments to individuals. ABA has been proud to support you in your efforts and to tout publicly all you have done, as we did through aba.com/Corona- virusResponse and the press statements, media interviews and digital ads that pointed people to that page. As always, our efforts are carefully coordinatedwith the ABA- State Association Alliance, which has never beenmore important or more valuable to the industry as a whole. For the first several weeks of the crisis, state association and ABA leaders held daily conference calls to discuss what banks were reporting from the front lines, identify solutions and relay needed policy fixes or guidance to policymakers. The flow of information was equally important in reverse. Sometimes the clarity we all needed from Washington was slow to arrive, but policymakers understood and appreciated that our appeals were solutions-focused andmade in good faith. In fact, our most effective advocacy often involved direct phone calls, emails and texts to lawmakers, regulators and top Treasury and SBA officials, with public finger-pointing taking a back seat. ABA’s efforts throughout the crisis, like your state associa- tions, have been focused on ensuring you have what you need to continue supporting your institutions, customers and com- munities through these extraordinary times. We deeply appreciate all of your efforts and are committed to supporting you as we work to rebuild the economy. Because every hero needs a sidekick, and we are proud to be yours.  America’s banks weren’t just deemed essential businesses by governors in state after state; they became essential partners in delivering massive amounts of federal government relief.