American Express spent $770,000 to lobby in first quarter

American Express Co. spent $770,000 in the first quarter to lobby on credit-card fee issues and other concerns, according to a disclosure form.

The company also lobbied on legislation involving rules for student credit cards, credit-card interchange fees, patent reform, arbitration clauses and identity theft, among other issues, according to the form, filed April 15.

Interchange fees are included in the fees that retailers pay to banks to process credit-card transactions. The fee levels are set by the card companies.

Retailer trade associations have urged Congress to pass legislation requiring the card companies to negotiate the fee with merchants. If negotiations aren't successful, under a bill in the House the fees would be set by a three-judge panel.

Credit-card issuers argue that the bill amounts to government price controls and would result in more costs being passed on to consumers.

In the first three months of the year, the company lobbied Congress, the Federal Reserve, the White House, Social Security Administration and the Treasury Department.

Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches, under a federal law enacted in 1995.