Full Credit Card Reforms in Effect, Merkley Calls for Further Consumer Protection to Fix Economy

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley made the following statement regarding the implementation of all provisions of the Credit CARD Act:

“Today, the full Credit CARD Act goes into effect, creating a stronger and safer lending environment for millions of Americans.  The rules that start today will prevent credit card companies from enacting retroactive rate increases and charging misleading late fees or unannounced over-limit fees.   And they restore fairness by ending double-cycle billing and enacting caps on high-fee cards.

“As we’ve seen over the last few years, our entire economy suffers when financial institutions take advantage of working families and spend their resources devising tricks and traps intended to bury them in debt.  Our families, our small businesses, and our banking industry are better off when consumers are treated fairly and given information that can help them make smart financial decisions.

“The Senate Banking Committee will soon begin consideration of financial reform legislation.  Consumer financial protections like those in the CARD Act must be an integral part of the effort to fix our financial system.  Through this debate, I will continue to advocate for the creation of an independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency designed to weed out deceptive financial products that strip wealth from working families.”