American Express spends $630K in 2Q to lobby government on credit reform, financial overhaul

American Express spent $630,000 on lobbying in 2Q

NEW YORK — American Express Co. spent $630,000 in the second quarter to lobby the federal government on credit card reform and other issues, according to a disclosure report.

That’s down 11 percent from the $710,000 that American Express spent in the year-ago period, and 29 percent less than the company $890,000 spent in the first quarter of 2010. The card issuer lobbied the federal government on provisions related to credit card practices in the credit card reform law. It also raised issues surounding financial regulatory reform, including legislation regarding taxes on bonuses paid by recipients of federal bailout funds.

Interchange fees, the fees that merchants pay to have credit and debit card transactions processed, were another key point on the agenda, along with consumer arbitration issues, the tax code, online advertising and marketing regulation and bills aimed at regulating the travel industry, according to the report filed on July 20.

In the April-to-June period, the company lobbied Congress, the office of the president, the Treasury Department, the Federal Reserve, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Internal Revenue Service, according to the report filed with the House clerk’s office.

American Express also lobbied the U.S. Postal Service and Congress regarding laws related to Postal Service retiree health benefits.