Banks, consumers duel over proposed bill on credit cardholder rights

WASHINGTON - Legislators postponed consumer testimony about credit cardholder protection in a last-minute decision Thursday, but bank representatives testifying at a congressional hearing still got an earful from some frustrated credit card users.

Waving a two-inch-high stack of credit card solicitations delivered to him during the past few months, Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., told the bank representatives that the fine print of credit card use creates "a real mess" for consumers. Studies have shown that three in four Americans have at least one credit card.