Credit card swipe fees are out of control—up nearly 80% since the pandemic and now approaching $200 billion a year. For many dealers, they’ve quietly become one of the largest expenses in the business. 

When you join us in Washington, you’re not just there to talk policy, you’re there to show Congress what these issues actually mean for your business. 

Take credit card swipe fees. 

For many of our members, they’ve quietly become one of the largest expenses you face, now sitting right behind payroll and health insurance. At the same time, our industry operates on margins of around 5% or less, while the largest credit card companies are reporting profit margins exceeding 50%. 

That imbalance isn’t by accident. Today, two payment networks dominate the market, allowing them to set fees with little to no competition. Those costs keep rising, and they’re largely non-negotiable. Every dollar in swipe fees is a dollar you can’t put back into your business. 

That’s why the Credit Card Competition Act has been a top priority for ABMA and our members. 

What the bill does: 
It requires that credit cards be enabled to process transactions over at least two competing networks—giving businesses a choice in how payments are routed and introducing real competition to help bring fees down. 

It’s been a tough fight, taking on some of the most powerful financial institutions in the world. But right now, there is real momentum. With the President’s endorsement, Congress has a genuine opportunity to move reforms forward and introduce competition into the system. 

That’s why what you bring to D.C. matters. 

Come prepared with: 

• Your number: How much did your business spend on swipe fees last year? 

• Your impact: What would you have done with that money instead—hiring, equipment, expansion? 

• Your reality: Are these costs changing how you price, hire, or invest? 

Those are the moments that stick in a meeting. That’s what turns a policy discussion into something real. 

And the most powerful way to make that case is to show exactly what it’s costing you today.