Visa spent $1.69M on federal lobbying in 3Q

NEW YORK

Visa Inc. spent $1.69 million in the third quarter to lobby the federal government on the regulation of debit card fees charged to merchants and other issues, according to a disclosure report.

That's a 54 percent jump from from the $1.1 million that the San Francisco-based company spent in the year-ago period, and 17 percent more than the $1.44 million it spent in the second quarter of 2011.

The payments processor also lobbied the federal government on legislation involving legislation that would have delayed the implementation of part of the 2010 financial regulatory reform bill that resulted in a cap on the fees banks and payment processors can charge to retailers for processing debit card purchases, according to the report. The bill that called for further study of the issue ultimately failed, and the Federal Reserve set the cap in late June. It took effect on Oct 1.

Visa representatives also lobbied on legislation regarding personal data privacy and online data tracking, identity theft, internet gambling, cybersecurity, Internet pornography and children, and data breaches.

In the July-to-September period, the company lobbied Congress, the White House, the Treasury Department according to the report filed with the House clerk's office.

Jayme Roth, one-time chief of staff for former Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, is among those registered to lobby for Visa. The company noted on its disclosure that Roth did not lobby any Senate members or personnel.

Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches, under a federal law enacted in 1995. Visa's latest lobbying report was filed on Oct. 20.