Obama calls for credit card reforms

By David Alexander and John Poirier

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama urged U.S. credit card company executives on Thursday to stop unfair rate increases and be more transparent and accountable, tapping into popular outrage over abusive lending.

"We want to preserve the credit card market but we also want to do so in a way that eliminates some of the abuses and some of the problems that a lot of people are familiar with," Obama told reporters after a White House meeting with 13 executives from top banks and companies that issue the cards.

The credit card issue could be a political winner for Obama, with many Americans saying they are angry over lending practices.

Obama said he wanted new legislation being considered by the U.S. Congress to protect consumers against unfair rate increases and ban "abusive fees and penalties."

"The days of any time, any reason rate hikes and late fees has to end," he said, as he sat at a long table surrounded by the credit card executives.

Obama also wants the legislation to ensure that credit card forms and statements are in plain language. "No more fine print, no more confusing terms and conditions. We want clarity and transparency from here on out," Obama said.

"We need more accountability in the system. That means more effective oversight and more effective enforcement so that people who are issuing credit cards and are violating the law will feel the full weight of the law," he said.

The American Bankers Association trade group said executives carefully listened to Obama during the cordial meeting and agreed to try to address industry practices. They also told Obama that the Federal Reserve's sweeping new rules "directly address" many of the issues raised by the administration and Congress.