The U.S. Supreme Court recently held unconstitutional laws prohibiting corporate contributions for independent expenditures, including contributions to groups known as “Super-PACs”. Super- PACs, which are political committees registered with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) solely for the purpose of funding independent expenditures, are required to be transparent and disclose all contributions and expenditures on regular reports filed with the FEC. To the extent the Company determines to contribute to Super PACs or the Company makes any Independent Expenditures, information regarding such contributions will be made available here.
In connection with its business initiatives, Mastercard is a member of various trade associations and pays regular dues for such membership. The Company does not normally make additional, non-dues payments to support such group’s political contributions or independent expenditures. Examples of trade associations in which Mastercard is a member include: Financial Services Roundtable, Consumer Bankers Association, American Bankers Association, American Financial Services Association, Electronic Funds Transfer Association and Electronic Transactions Association. Mastercard does not direct how the dues paid to trade associations are spent. However, Mastercard will request from any trade association that receives $50,000 or more from the Company during a calendar year, information regarding that portion of the Company’s dues and any other payments, if any, used for political contributions or independent expenditures. Notice of use of payments for the purposes described above from any trade association can be found here.