President Trump Endorses Swipe Fee Reform, Energizing Industry Push

President Donald Trump has endorsed the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA), led by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), calling it a way to “stop the out-of-control swipe-fee rip-off.” The bipartisan bill would bring competition to the credit-card market, ending the Visa-Mastercard duopoly that costs restaurants and small businesses billions each year. The National Restaurant Association and Merchant Payments Coalition have long pushed for the reform, which could save operators and consumers $17 billion annually.

The Nevada Restaurant Association has been a key advocate, joining other states in advancing state-level swipe-fee reform after years of gridlock in Congress. With plans to bring forth a state bill next session, the NvRA has held talks with a bipartisan coalition in the Nevada Legislature supporting the effort. While the President’s endorsement is encouraging, the NvRA will continue pushing to protect operators from excessive fees and promote fair, competitive payment systems both in Nevada and nationwide.

Join Us at the 2026 Restaurants Act Public Affairs Conference

The Restaurants Act Public Affairs Conference is the restaurant industry’s largest grassroots advocacy event — uniting operators from across the country to influence policy and protect the future of foodservice. This is your chance to join Nevada’s delegation in Washington, D.C., meet directly with lawmakers, and ensure your voice is heard on the issues that impact your business every day.

Before heading to Capitol Hill, participants will receive full briefings and advocacy training. Key topics this year include:

• Swipe Fee Reform — Support the bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act to lower transaction fees, enhance payment security, and save businesses and consumers an estimated $17 billion annually.
• Trade and Food Costs — Oppose new tariffs and protect trade provisions with Mexico and Canada that stabilize supply chains and prevent higher food prices.
• Workforce and Immigration — Advocate for comprehensive reform to help restaurants hire and retain the talent they need to thrive.

Learn more here and to join Nevada’s delegation, contact info@nvrestaurants.com

Nineteen States Raise Minimum Wage

Nineteen states raised their minimum wage on January 1, boosting pay for an estimated 8.3 million workers. The increases stem from inflation adjustments, new state laws, and ballot measures, reflecting momentum for higher wages nationwide. With 30 states now above the federal $7.25/hour minimum and 88 jurisdictions planning further increases this year, operators should anticipate rising labor costs and wage expectations across markets. For restaurants, the trend underscores the need to review payroll, pricing, and staffing models early in 2026.

Cortez Masto Pressures White House Over Tourism Decline

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) is pressing the White House over the sharp decline in U.S. tourism, warning that funding cuts and tariff uncertainty are threatening Nevada’s hospitality economy. In a letter to the administration, she criticized officials for failing to fill key tourism posts and ignoring data requests. Tourism supports one in four Nevada jobs, yet visitation to Las Vegas fell 7.4% in 2025, with international arrivals down 6%. Cortez Masto and Nevada’s delegation are backing the VISTA USA Act, a bipartisan bill to restore funding to Brand USA, the public-private partnership credited with billions in visitor spending. She warned that without swift federal action, Nevada’s visitor and restaurant economy will continue to struggle.

Join us for Burgers & Blankets as we come together to provide 250 meals, blankets and beverages to those in need at The CARE Complex Downtown

🗓 January 24 | ⏰ 10AM–12PM

Every donation makes a difference.

📧 Contact: smichl@nvrestaurants.com | 702.749.6664

📦 Drop-off donations at The CARE Complex or Nevada Restaurant Association

We're thrilled to announce that we've partnered with Human Interest, a leading 401(k) provider for small and medium-sized businesses, to enhance your benefit offerings with an affordable and accessible retirement plan.

As you may know, NEST will now require businesses with SIX employees to offer a retirement plan. This partnership ensures you have a straightforward way to stay compliant and avoid state penalties. Human Interest helps significantly reduce the burden of managing a 401(k) plan through easy setup, streamlined administration, comprehensive recordkeeping, and smooth employee onboarding.

Providing healthcare benefits to employees in the hospitality industry is difficult and expensive with high turnaround and small margins.

Offer your employees the FREE Optum Perks Pharmacy Card, a pharmacy drug savings program that offers free coupons and discounts for thousands of prescriptions at pharmacies.

Optum Perks isn’t insurance, so you can use your card each time you fill a prescription. It’s 100% free to use, and can be used instead of insurance when co-pays are too high or medications are no longer covered by insurance.

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