<P> Senate hearings in the United States have focused on the secrecy surrounding interchange fee schedules and card operating rules . In 2006 Visa and MasterCard both released some fee schedules and summary reports of their card rules, though pressure continues for them to release the full documents . In January 2007, Senate Banking committee chairman Chris Dodd cited interchange fees at a hearing on credit card industry practices and again in March the fees were criticized by Sen. Norm Coleman . In January 2007, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates cited high interchange fees as a significant reason Microsoft believes it can't be competitive in online micropayments . </P> <P> In March 2007, MasterCard announced it was changing its rate structure, splitting the lower, "basic" tier for credit cards into two new tiers . The Wall Street Journal reported that the document outlining the shift "makes it difficult to determine if the new rates, on average, are rising ." MasterCard spokesman Joshua Peirez said the new structure "allows us to have a more sophisticated way to break up our credit card portfolio," while National Retail Federation general counsel Mallory Duncan said, "They are pricing each tier at the absolute most they can so they can maximize their income ." </P> <P> On July 19, 2007 the House Judiciary Committee antitrust task force held the first hearing to study the specific issue of interchange fees . NRF's Duncan testified, as did representatives from the credit card industry . Subcommittee chairman John Conyers, leading the panel, said, "While I come into the hearing with an open mind, I do believe the burden of the proof lies with the credit card companies to reassure Congress that increasing interchange fees are not harming merchants and ultimately consumers ." </P> <P> On October 1, 2010, the Durbin Amendment came into effect as a last minute addition to the Dodd - Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 . As a result, banks have begun to limit the incentives offered with their checking account products, and some have announced that they would begin to charge their customers a fee for the use of the cards . </P>

What is the interchange rate for credit cards