ARLINGTON, Wash., May 6, 2025 – The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians, which operates several tribal facilities and businesses on its reservation in Washington state, today called on Congress to pass the Credit Card Competition Act to help bring credit card swipe fees under control.
“Our tribal businesses serve tribal members and others through our convenience stores and other businesses,” Tribe Chairman Eric White said in a letter to House and Senate leadership. “These businesses are consistently and increasingly disadvantaged, however, by sky-high credit card fees.”
With Visa and Mastercard dominating the credit card market and setting swipe fee rates charged by banks that issue their cards “even we, as sovereign nations, are powerless to negotiate with them or comparison shop or better deals,” White said. “This situation undermines our tribal sovereignty and we have no market options to address it.”
“Our sovereignty should not be impugned by huge credit card companies and Wall Street banks,” White said. “Tribal businesses and tribal members need the Credit Card Competition Act to become law.”
Read the complete letter here.
