Roger Marshall (R-KS)
Credit Card Competition Act of 2026
A Republican bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 5 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Credit Card Competition Act of 2026," seeks to amend the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. It directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to create new regulations aimed at increasing competition in credit card transactions. Specifically, it aims to prevent exclusive networks and routing restrictions for certain credit card issuers. The regulations would prevent card issuers or networks from limiting transactions to a single network or restricting how merchants direct their transaction routing. Additionally, the Board must establish a list of networks that pose national security risks or are owned by foreign state entities.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +5
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill empowers merchants to direct transaction routing, increasing their control and reducing potential penalties from large networks.
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
Merchants gain more control over transaction routing and protection from unfair network penalties.
- Scored +4
Does this put more rules on large technology companies?
The bill regulates large card issuers to prevent exclusive networks and routing restrictions.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Would billionaires be better off under this?
Large, highly profitable card-issuing networks face increased competition and regulatory constraints.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Competition in Transactions: The bill requires the Board to prescribe regulations so that covered card issuers cannot restrict the number of payment card networks used for a transaction to just one network (Section 2(a)(1)(A)(i)). This could allow for more than one network to process a single credit card transaction.
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Greater Freedom for Merchants: The regulations would prohibit card issuers or networks from inhibiting a person's ability to direct the routing of electronic credit transactions to a specific payment card network (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(i)(I)). This means people who accept credit cards could have more control over which network handles their transactions.
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Standardized Security Technologies: The bill prevents issuers from requiring security technologies, such as specific authentication or tokenization, that cannot be used by all potential payment card networks (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(i)(II)). This ensures that no single network is disadvantaged by unique security requirements.
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Protection Against Unfair Penalties: The bill prohibits imposing financial or other penalties on people for choosing a specific payment card network or for failing to meet certain transaction volume requirements for a particular network (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(ii)).
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National Security Safeguards: The Board is required to establish a public list of payment card networks that pose a risk to the national security of the United States or are owned/operated by a foreign state entity (Section 2(a)(1)(D)(i)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Exclusion of Certain Payment Models: The new competition regulations do not apply to credit cards issued in a 3-party payment system model, which includes cards where the issuer is the payment card network or is under common ownership with it (Section 2(a)(1)(C) and Section 2(a)(1)(E)(iii)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill empowers merchants to direct transaction routing, increasing their control and reducing potential penalties from large networks. Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — Increasing competition in payment networks may lead to better terms for cardholders through market forces.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands the regulatory authority of the Federal Reserve Board over credit card network competition. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the establishment of a public list of security-risk payment networks.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more rules on large technology companies? — The bill regulates large card issuers to prevent exclusive networks and routing restrictions.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Merchants gain more control over transaction routing and protection from unfair network penalties. Would billionaires be better off under this? — Large, highly profitable card-issuing networks face increased competition and regulatory constraints.
- 8/7/2026
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 1/13/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Angus KingIndependent · Maine
Cynthia LummisRepublican · Wyoming
Bernie MorenoRepublican · Ohio
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont