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Reps. Pocan and Royce Launch Bipartisan Congressional Cooperative Business Caucus

January 13, 2016

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) launched the bipartisan Congressional Cooperative Business Caucus, which will promote greater awareness of the cooperative business model and help policymakers enact co-op friendly legislation.

“Cooperatives create good paying jobs and offer both employees and local communities a chance to be directly involved in business decisions,” said Rep. Pocan. “I’m proud that my District is home to thriving cooperatives from the Willie Street Food Co-Op to UW Credit Union. I look forward to working with Rep. Royce to promote greater awareness of the cooperative business model and to advocate on federal policy issues unique to the co-op community.”

"Cooperatives not only provide valuable goods and services to consumers around the world, they also offer their members a piece of their success,” said Rep. Royce. “As a longtime advocate of cooperative businesses, from California’s credit unions and mutual insurers to Africa’s rural electric co-ops, I look forward to highlighting the benefits these organizations provide to their communities and customers."

Cooperatives can be found in virtually every sector of the U.S. economy from affordable housing, to quality sourced food, greater access to electricity, banking and credit needs, and for early childhood learning. Dane County, home to 80 cooperatives, has the highest number of co-ops per capita of any county in country.

To learn more about the Congressional Cooperative Business Caucus, please visit www.ncba.coop/coopcaucus.

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