Francis Palasieski, ABMA鈥檚 Director of Government Affairs. 鈥� It鈥檚 not impossible. It鈥檚 just hard (and worth it). The Credit Card Competition Act is necessary, but, let鈥檚 be honest, it鈥檚 a tall order. Big banks and the credit card giants are firmly against it. And while ABMA might not measure up in size to these behemoth industries, we do听have something that works in our favor: persistence.
When we were in Washington last month, legislators across the board were engaged and interested in what we had to say. They listened. Because when you show up with real numbers鈥攍ike the $300,000 to $400,000 some of our members are paying in swipe fees each year鈥攁nd explain what that means in an industry where margins hover around 5%, it hits home.
It reminded me of the time my son managed to lick his own elbow. (If you don鈥檛 know, that鈥檚 considered physically impossible.) But when I offered him $100 to try, he spent hours contorting himself until somehow, he pulled it off. Turns out, 4-year-olds are still a bit bendy, and with enough determination (and the right incentive), even the impossible starts to bend.
That鈥檚 where we are. The odds aren鈥檛 easy, but we鈥檝e got momentum, facts, and a lot of very determined small business owners. If you鈥檝e got stories or numbers to share that can help our case, send them our way. Because this fight is winnable. And if a preschooler can defy biology for a hundred bucks, we can stand up to Visa and Mastercard.
Jim Thompson & Team, ABMA Government Relations 鈥� The long-dormant Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) has reemerged after Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) attached it to the听, a bill aimed at regulating payment stablecoins. The move has reignited fierce debate over credit card reform and placed Durbin and other Democrats in a bind, as many oppose the underlying GENIUS Act.
Though the amendment faces long odds, its introduction breathes new life into a legislative priority for many retailers. The standalone CCCA, previously introduced by Durbin and co-sponsored by Marshall, has not been refiled in this session鈥攎aking this amendment its only active form.
The CCCA targets large banks鈥攖hose with more than $100 billion in assets鈥攔equiring them to let merchants route credit card transactions through at least two unaffiliated networks, one of which cannot be Visa or Mastercard. Advocates say this would lower swipe fees and break up the duopoly controlling the market.
Opponents, however, are pushing back hard. Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has threatened to pull his support for the GENIUS Act if the amendment is adopted, calling it a 鈥減oison pill鈥� that could sink bipartisan progress.
The American Bankers Association (ABA) and Independent Community Bankers of America also oppose the measure, warning it could slash consumer rewards, weaken fraud protections, and force costly infrastructure changes. ABA President Rob Nichols warned that the amendment could 鈥渞ob consumers of their card rewards and leave them at greater risk of fraud,鈥� while undermining innovation in both the banking and crypto sectors.
Despite the backlash, the Senate has invoked cloture on the GENIUS Act, opening the door for debate on amendments like the CCCA. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is expected to allow votes on proposed changes in the coming days.
To pass, the amendment must secure 60 votes鈥攁 high bar in a divided Senate. But even if it fails, ABMA DC sources believe it will. The reappearance signals that the fight over credit card competition is far from over.
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