Senator Durbin and supporters of the Durbin-Marshall Credit Card Bill claim their efforts are aimed at assisting small businesses, yet critics argue that their actions suggest otherwise. The Senator has recently highlighted meetings with the Home Depot CEO and is set to receive an award during a tour of Macy's, which is recognized as the largest department store in the country.

During the National Retail Federation's Retail Advocates Summit in July, there appeared to be a focus on aiding large corporate retailers such as Amazon, Macy's, Target, and Walmart. Critics assert that the Durbin-Marshall bill will not provide benefits to small businesses.

The Congressional Research Service has raised questions about whether consumers or small businesses would see any advantages from this legislation. Furthermore, research conducted by the University of Miami indicates that these mandates could potentially place small businesses at a greater competitive disadvantage compared to larger corporate stores.

Some believe that investing in new technologies and establishing national data security standards through legislation would contribute to creating a more robust payment system.