American Bankers Association Named New Legislative Lead
The trade group hired a former Treasury official to manage its bipartisan lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in People
The American Bankers Association has appointed Jonathan Blum as executive vice president of congressional relations and legislative affairs. Blum returns to the trade group to lead a team focused on advancing banking sector policy priorities.
Why it matters
This leadership appointment signals the association's focus on maintaining high-level access to lawmakers and staff to navigate ongoing policy and regulatory challenges. By leveraging Blum's background in both the Treasury Department and Capitol Hill, the group aims to strengthen its bipartisan advocacy efforts.
Blum brings nearly a decade of Capitol Hill experience to the role, following his previous tenure on the association's Congressional Relations team from December 2022 to January 2025. The scope of his new mandate includes managing a bipartisan team to engage policymakers on banking issues.
The players
American Bankers Association
The primary trade association representing the nation's banking industry and its policy interests.
Jonathan Blum
A veteran legislative strategist who served at the Treasury Department and on Capitol Hill.
The details
Blum will oversee the association's Congressional Relations team to coordinate engagement with lawmakers across both parties. His operational focus involves navigating legislative policy to support banking sector objectives, drawing on his background at the Treasury Department and Venture Government Strategies. He is tasked with refining the trade group's approach to bipartisan policy advocacy in Washington, D.C.
Timeline
December 2022 to January 2025: Blum previously worked on the ABA Congressional Relations team.
September 21, 2026: Blum returned to the American Bankers Association.
Market Landscape
The hire aligns with the association's long-standing strategy of maintaining deep institutional knowledge within its government relations arm. This move follows the 2022-2025 Congressional Relations team structure, signaling a return to a familiar leadership profile for the trade group's advocacy operations.
Operators should anticipate renewed focus on banking sector policy and regulatory engagement as the association recalibrates its legislative team. Monitor the group's public position statements in the coming months for shifts in bipartisan policy priorities.
The takeaway
The move highlights the industry's continued reliance on legislative veterans to translate banking needs into policy outcomes. Business leaders should track the association's upcoming legislative priorities for signals on which regulatory shifts are likely to gain bipartisan traction in the near term.
Further reading
For broader trends in industry leadership, visit the People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABA Banking Journal.
