Credit Union Association of New York Presents Award to Velázquez

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ALBANY, NY (03/05/2009)(readMedia)-- The Credit Union Association of New York presented U.S. Representative Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-12) with their 2008 Legislator of the Year award during a visit to her Washington, D.C. office on Wednesday, February 25.

The Association's award recognizes a distinguished legislator who has shown outstanding commitment to issues of importance to New York credit unions.

President/CEO William J. Mellin presented the annual award to the highly venerated representative.

"Congresswoman Velázquez regularly expresses her support for credit unions," said Mellin during the presentation. "As chair of the Small Business Committee, she regularly called upon credit unions to provide a voice in how to best serve the nation's small businesses." Mellin also spoke about credit unions working with the Congresswoman in support of lifting credit union's arbitrary member business loan cap and thanked her for always taking time to meet with credit union representatives during 'Hike the Hill' and other legislative visits.

"During this financial crisis, New York's credit unions continue to provide their members with the credit and capital they need. This is now more important than ever as consumer and small business lending is critical to jumpstarting the economy," said Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez. "It is an honor to be recognized for my work to help provide credit unions with the tools they need to serve their members."

Congresswoman Velázquez is currently serving her ninth term as Representative for New York's 12th Congressional District. In 1992, after months of running a grassroots political campaign, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first Puerto Rican woman in Congress. Velázquez's district encompasses parts of Brooklyn, Queens and the Lower East Side of Manhattan. She is chair of the House Small Business Committee, which oversees federal programs and contracts totaling $200 billion annually, and a senior member of the Financial Service Committee.

A vocal advocate of American small business and entrepreneurship, Velázquez has established numerous small business legislative priorities, encompassing the areas of tax regulations, access to capital, federal contracting opportunities, trade, technology, health care and pension reform, among others.

Velázquez, one of nine children, was born in a small town in Puerto Rico. She entered college at 16 years of age and graduated magna cum laude in 1974 with a degree in political science. She went on to earn a master's degree from N.Y.U. In 1983, Velázquez was appointed special assistant to Congressman Edolphus Towns (D-District 10). One year later, she became the first Latina appointed to serve on the New York City Council.

The Credit Union Association of New York has served as the trade association for the state's credit unions for 92 years. It is the fifth largest association in the country. New York credit unions have assets of more than $43 billion and 4.2 million members. To learn more about the Association, visit www.nyscul.org.

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Caption: William J. Mellin, president/CEO of the Credit Union Association of New York, presents the Association's 2008 Legislator of the Year Award to U.S. Representative Nydia M. Velázquez (D-12th Congressional District) at her Capitol office in Washington, DC.