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S 1212 111th Congress Senate

Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2009

Official title: A bill to amend the antitrust laws to ensure competitive market-based fees and terms for merchants' access to electronic payment systems.

Introduced: June 9, 2009 Introduced by: Durbin, Richard J. Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov
Commerce Administrative law and regulatory proceduresCompetition and antitrustConsumer creditContracts and agencyRetail and wholesale trades
This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 9, 2009
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6366-6371)
Jun 9, 2009
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action June 9, 2009

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6366-6371)

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2009 - Authorizes providers of a single covered electronic payment system (e.g., Visa or Mastercharge credit cards) and any merchants to jointly negotiate and agree upon the fees and terms for access to such a system.

Defines covered electronic payment system as any system that has been used for at least 10% of the combined dollar value of credit and debit card payments processed in the most recent year.

Grants limited antitrust immunity to such providers and merchants, as well as to those providers who jointly determine among themselves the proportionate division of paid access fees.

Sets forth procedures to determine fees and terms for access to a covered electronic payment system.

Creates a panel of three full-time Electronic Payment System Judges, appointed by the Attorney General and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, to determine the schedule of fees and terms for two-year periods. Outlines procedures for correcting overpayments, underpayments, and late payments as determined by the Judges. Subjects any determination of such Judges to judicial review.

Authorizes providers and merchants to engage in voluntarily negotiated access agreements. Declares that such an executed agreement shall supersede any fees or terms established by the Judges.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1212: Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2009. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1212/
MLA
"S. 1212: Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2009." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1212/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1212, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1212/.
Markdown link
[S. 1212: Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2009](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1212/)
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