An amendment to limit interchange fees—also called “swipe fees”—on debit card purchases has passed the U.S. Senate.

The amendment to a proposed financial regulatory reform bill was introduced by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL). It passed in May by a 64-33 margin.

The fees typically range from 1 to 3 percent of a debit card transaction’s value. Merchants pay the fees to card issuers. The amendment would not regulate credit card swipe fees.

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Banks, Credit Unions Balk at Ban on Gaming Fund Transfers

June 23, 2010
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Depository institutions around the country are expressing deep concerns about the potential consequences of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which took effect June 1. The new law, which online gaming sites have been preparing for since President George W. Bush signed it 2006, is designed to combat online gambling by preventing the fund [...]

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CBO: High Price Tag on Beach House Bailout

June 23, 2010
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A federal bill critics have dubbed the “Beach House Bailout” has been scored by the Congressional Budget Office as costing the nation’s taxpayers an estimated $1.7 billion over the 2011-2015 time period. “The CBO’s score shows that even under the best of circumstances the Beach House Bailout will costs the taxpayers almost $2 billion over [...]

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FEMA Flood Map Changes to Raise Insurance Costs

June 11, 2010
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Recent changes in flood risk maps have caused thousands of Americans to rush to find additional flood insurance for their homes and businesses. Flood insurance maps inform owners of property on U.S. coastlines and riverbanks of flood damage risks their properties might face. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is primarily responsible for drafting these [...]

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Florida Legislative Session Ends Without Insurance Reforms

June 11, 2010
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Regular Legislative Session might be remembered mainly for one thing: Gov. Charlie Crist’s departure from the Republican Party on the eve of his deadline to qualify as an Independent candidate for U.S. Senate. He made the move because most polls showed him badly losing the Republican Party primary. The governor’s decision sent shockwaves throughout Florida’s [...]

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Study Shows Medical Cost Shifts Onto Auto Insurers

June 9, 2010
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President Obama’s health care  package will affect auto insurers—that much is certain, though no one is quite sure how much the new law will affect them, according to the Insurance Research Council (IRC). An IRC report this year found a link between low Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates and the higher medical reimbursement rates paid [...]

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