As the Maryland General Assembly enters the final stretch of its 2025 legislative session and the DC Council debates interchange fees, the Association is actively engaging policymakers.

DC Council: Fair Swipe Act
Recently, the Association met with DC Councilmembers Christina Henderson and Matthew Frumin, alongside the Electronic Payments Coalition, Discover, Chase, and Capital One, to voice strong opposition to the Fair Swipe Act. The bill would prohibit taxes and tips from being included in interchange fees on debit and credit card transactions. A similar measure introduced in the Maryland General Assembly has failed to gain traction.

In an interview with the Washington Business Journal, MD|DC Credit Union Association CEO John Bratsakis highlighted the critical role interchange fees play in protecting consumers from fraud – a safeguard that could be jeopardized if the legislation moves forward.

Meeting with Sen. Alsobrooks
The Association also met with U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, a member of the Senate Banking Committee. Discussions focused on the importance of maintaining the credit union tax exemption, which enables credit unions to better support consumers and communities through lower fees, higher yields on savings and lower fees. Senator Alsobrooks emphasized the need for bipartisan collaboration on critical banking issues, underscoring the shared commitment to financial well-being.

Key Bridge Commemoration
Association CEO John Bratsakis was invited by the Governor’s Office to attend the Key Bridge ceremony marking the one-year anniversary of its collapse. Officials, first responders and victims’ families gathered at the Baltimore bridge site last week to honor the six lives lost and those who stepped forward to help in the aftermath. Bratsakis was asked to represent credit unions that provided support and assistance to those impacted by the tragedy.