G.R. Pages

A political action committee is a private organization established to raise money in support of one or more candidates for elected office. RetailPAC is a voluntary, non-partisan political action committee sponsored by the National Retail Federation. RetailPAC operates in full compliance with federal law.

Credit card interchange is a fee averaging close to 2 percent that Visa and MasterCard banks charge merchants each time one of their cards is swiped to make a purchase. These "swipe" fees are imposed on merchants on a take-it-or-leave it basis, and have have soared dramatically in recent years. In 2008, U.S. retailers and consumers paid an estimated $48 billion for interchange, or triple the $16 billion charged when NRF began tracking the fee in 2001. The fees drive up the price of merchandise, costing the average American household $427 in 2008, up from $159 in 2001.

On June 28, 2012 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Affordable Care Act, the comprehensive health care law, is constitutional, including the individual mandate. NRF’s Vice President and Employee Benefits Policy Counsel, Neil Trautwein, held a conference call for NRF members on June 28 to walk through the decision and what it means for the retail industry. Trautwein also covered next steps that NRF and the National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR) are pursuing, both legislative and regulatory, in response to the decision and the continued implementation of the health care law.

Health Care - Regulations and Regulatory Issues