CUNA to Congress: Interchange is cost of doing business

Interchange works, CUNA wrote to members of Congress Tuesday in advance of restaurant lobby visits to Capitol Hill. The visits are expected to support the interchange bill strongly opposed by CUNA, Leagues, and credit unions.

“Interchange is the cost of accepting cards. Without cards, restaurants would deal only with cash and checks. Since more than 40% of Americans no longer use cash for regular purchases, that decision would cost restaurants both sales and customers,” the message reads.

CUNA and Leagues have issued an action alert to oppose the bill, with more than 20,000 messages of opposition sent to Capitol Hill as of Monday afternoon.

“Why does interchange cost money? Interchange fees help defray (but do not completely cover) the cost of fraud detection, credit monitoring, and fraudulent purchase protection that makes consumers and merchants whole when bad actors attack... plus a long list of other costs related to operating a secure credit card program,” it adds. “Those costs will not go away if this bill becomes law. It just moves the costs away from merchants, without any savings or benefit for consumers.”

CUNA also encouraged members—if pressed to support interchange legislation—to ask questions on the lack of consumer savings post-Durbin Amendment, merchants’ spotty track record of keeping data safe, and more.