National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) - an independent federal agency, based in Washington (State of Columbia), established by the U.S. Congress to oversee the federal credit union system. Credit unions attract people in the first place by the opportunity to get cash loan (credit) - quickly and relatively inexpensively. Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions. The uniqueness of credit unions is that they put together the principles and benefits of financial cooperatives, consumer cooperatives and mutual aid funds, born once by trade unions. Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. International cooperation has been particularly felt since the days when Alphonse Desjardins began the activity on development of credit union movement in North America.