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The NPA is recognized for providing the most prominent national voice, on federal, state and grass roots levels, for addressing legislative issues affecting pawnbrokers. The GRC team at the NPA is committed to educating media, lawmakers and the US Congress in Washington, D.C., on the positive aspects of pawn.
The GRC assists state leadership and associations by monitoring threats to the pawn industry at the state and federal level. The GRC continuously monitors hundreds of documents weekly to uncover proposed legislation that could potentially have consequences for the pawn industry. State leadership is advised of any issues affecting individual state legislation.
The NPA employs a GRC legislative team, including a lobbyist, who actively meets with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to educate them about how pawn works and why pawn matters to millions of Americans seeking short-term non-recourse lending options.
The GRC team works regularly to develop activism materials empowering individual pawnbrokers to reach out proactively to their own legislative representatives. Activism materials and resources developed by the GRC help lawmakers better understand how pawn works and how pawn benefits their communities and constituents.
The NPA Board of Directors has established the Legal Defense Fund which is utilized to support litigation and/or to fight legislation that ultimately could affect the pawn industry at a national level. Some examples of issues the fund was involved with include the pawn ticket tax and illegal confiscations of property.
The GRC team at the NPA has an open door, available to answer questions and receive feedback 24/7. Contact the GRC team by sending an email to grc@nationalpawnbrokers.org
Fran Bishop
NPA Government Relations Liaison
Fran Bishop and her husband, Tony, owned and operated Dollar Pawn for nearly 30 years. Fran was elected to the NPA Board of Directors in 1998 and was immediately appointed to the Government Relations Committee, which she chaired for several years. Fran served as NPA President 2005-2007 and remained on the board until “retiring” in 2011. In 2012, Fran became NPA’s Government Relations Liaison. That year Fran also testified on NPA’s behalf before the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions, Committee on Financial Services, and U.S. House of Representatives on legislation related to non-depository providers of consumer financial services. Fran offered a prepared statement for the record. As NPA Government Relations Liaison, Fran works to identify potential legislation that could affect pawn. Fran works with elected officials, government regulatory agencies and state level leadership to protect the rights of pawnbrokers and is an enormous advocate for pawn.
Cliff Andrews
Managing Principal
CapCity Advocates
Washington, DC
Cliff Andrews has 20 years of experience serving as a chief advocate and advisor to association clients on public policy, public relations, and mission-focused association management in an ever-changing political and economic landscape. Cliff works in a bipartisan manner before Congress, regulators, and private sector stakeholder groups on a variety of policy issues, including small-dollar lending regulation. Cliff works tirelessly to make sure that key lawmakers are educated on the vital role pawn plays in the communities of America. His work is key to shaping the perception of pawn at the highest levels. Throughout his career, one of Cliff’s greatest strengths has been his ability to engage constructively with diverse people in building productive, lasting relationships. Paramount to his success is a focus on accountability, diplomacy, consistently demonstrating competency on pertinent issues, and establishing trust. He is a true “Washingtonian,” born and raised in the nation’s capital. Cliff lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, daughter, son, and Alaskan Malamute.
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