Many middle-class Americans rely on credit cards to meet daily expenses. Already saddled with debt that has now reached $943.5 billion, consumers are slapped with excessive and obscure fees and interest charges that, if they are explained at all, are described in small text and confusing language. The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act requires advance notice of rate increases on credit cards and authorizes a credit card holder who receives such a notice to cancel the card without penalty and pay any outstanding balance at the lower rate. The legislation prohibits the application of higher interest rates to credit repaid within the interest-fee repayment time period (thus banning double cycle billing); prohibits a creditor from using information unrelated to a consumer’s credit card as the basis for increasing the interest rate on already outstanding credit; and prohibits application of fees to the interest accrued on previously repaid credit. The bill authorizes consumers to opt out of over-the-limit transactions if fees are imposed and restricts the frequency of over-the-limit fees. The legislation requires credit card issuers to apply a credit card holder’s payments proportionately to card balances with different interest rates. The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights includes provisions to help consumers avoid incurring late fees even when they pay on time, such as requiring card issuers to mail a bill 25 days before it is due. Finally, the bill sets forth standards for the initial issuance of cards with fee payments over 25% of the total amount of credit authorized, enhances the collection of information about credit card billing practices, and restricts the use of consumer information by creditors. Even stronger bills to level the playing field for credit cardholders include the Stop Unfair Practices in Credit Cards Act of 2007 and the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act of 2007.