There are misconceptions about the credit union industry running rampant in Washington, D.C. Many want Congress to impose a tax on credit unions, claiming they have become “too big” or lost sight of who they are. But size isn’t the measure of a credit union, large or small. The exemplary service of these not-for-profit financial cooperatives is what sets them apart, and that hasn’t changed.

It’s a conveniently overlooked fact that banks hold 91.2% of all U.S. financial services assets. Credit unions hold just 8.8% of assets nationwide, but that relatively small percentage encompasses 43% of all Americans who depend on credit unions day in and day out.