Marching into 2026 on the Advocacy Frontline

Looking back on the past year, we have advocacy successes to celebrate. From tax reform and the ACRE tax deduction for interest earned on agricultural real estate loans to President Donald Trump signing into law legislation to bar credit reporting agencies from selling “trigger leads” when consumers apply for a residential mortgage, we have seen developments that signal a deeper understanding of the role community banks play. 

We’ve also witnessed a rising awareness of the ways community banks differ from other financial institutions. Rulewriting that speaks to a more level playing field has begun to emerge, and reforms at the banking agencies and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are more accurately addressing the unique role community banks play in the financial services ecosystem. These and other wins mean our message is resonating in Washington and beyond. 

But we are far from done.

Let’s dive deeper

These wins only mark the tip of the iceberg; there’s a whole foundation of issues that we need to dive deeper to address. That’s why we implore you to get involved in our advocacy efforts. When you speak up on behalf of community bankers, you truly make an impact. 

For instance, on trigger leads, I heard from a bank leader who said he had a residential lender in the bank who was appalled at what was happening. This lender got involved with ICBA, came to ICBA’s Capital Summit and met with her legislators to talk about the issue, and saw the issue resolved, in part because she took the time to speak up. Now, she’s shared that she’ll be a community bank advocate for life.

Pushing into the future

So, as we close out the year, we should take a moment to reflect with pride on our successes, but then we must move on to what’s next. We cannot and will not let up on the pressure we must exert on policymakers to ensure we have a level playing field to better support our communities. 

We must lean in further and harder to represent the industry. In this world where everyone wants to call themselves a bank, we have to make sure legislators and regulators all understand the community bank difference. 

We need you to engage to become even bigger advocates to ensure all of our communities have access to the financial services they deserve. So, rest up and enjoy this holiday season. We will see you in the starting lineup in January 2026. 

On behalf of everyone at ICBA, I wish you a wonderful holiday season and prosperous start to the new year.

Where I’ll be
this month

I’ll be spending some time on the road this month visiting our ICBA offices from Tampa to Sauk Centre to Memphis and, of course, at our home base in D.C.