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Credit card debt has tripled in the last 20 years, hitting low- and middle-income families hardest.  Many of these families use credit cards to deal with losses in income or unexpected expenses, like car or home repairs.

The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act will forbid credit card companies from unfairly raising interest rates and imposing unnecessary hidden charges and penalty fees on borrowers.  It will also limit credit card companies' ability to issue cards to consumers younger than 21, who may not be able to repay debt.

• Senate Passes Bill That Prohibits Abusive Credit Card Practices - 5/20/09
• Selective Interpretation? Top Credit Card Issuers Appear to Follow Own Rules - report - Center for Responsible Lending - May 2009
• Fed Cracks Down on Credit Card Issuers - AARP - 4/22/09
• What's Draining Your Wallet? The Real Cost of Credit Card Cash Advances - report - Center for Responsible Lending - December 2008
• Priceless or Just Expensive? The Use of Penalty Rates in the Credit Card Industry - report - Center for Responsible Lending - December 2008
• Latino Credit Card Use: Debt Trap or Ticket to Prosperity? - report - NCLR - February 2007
• The Plastic Safety Net: The Reality Behind Debt in America - report - Center for Responsible Lending - October 2005