In a move that has drawn criticism, confusion, and more than a few comments about strange bedfellows, the Senate recently voted 67-29 to add a gun-rights amendment to a consumer credit-card bill. The provision, which was authored by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla), requires national parks to abide by state gun laws and would allow park visitors to carry concealed weapons. Read on to learn more.

Everything you do (and buy) drives your credit score. It may seem obvious that smart decisions send your score up and save you money, while bad decisions do the opposite -- yet lots of people seem to get trapped in debt. Here, WalletPop looks at four personal stories of people who changed their credit score for the better -- or the worse -- by making simple moves they quickly appreciated or regretted. Do their stories sound familiar? Read on and find out.

President Obama will discuss the credit-card crisis in a town-hall meeting in New Mexico on Thursday, where he will push for Congressional passage of credit-card reform measures so he can sign it into law by Memorial Day. Americans must be responsible, Obama says, "but they also have a right to not get ripped off by the sudden rate hikes, unfair penalties, and hidden fees." Read on to learn more.

When a bank raises your credit card's interest rate, should you just sit back and take it? That depends on a lot of factors, least of all your anger. Your first question should be whether you're willing -- or wise -- to part with an account. Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of taking revenge against a rising interest rate.

Yes, credit card companies are adding tons of fees and clamping down on any kind of infractions, but there are still loopholes for persistent customers. Find out the best way to ask for your card company to lower your fees.

If the swine flu turns into a global pandemic, credit and ATM cards probably won't be the first concern on most peoples' minds. But billions of dollars could be at stake for any bank caught flatfooted by an outbreak. Here, an expert explains what's likely to happen -- and what isn't -- in the event of a catastrophe.

If you're someone who needs to establish or rebuild your credit, you're probably in the market for a secured credit card, backed by your own funds rather than a bank's. But offers for such cards are plummeting as banks shy away from taking on more risky debt. So how can you get a secured card if you really need one? Read on to learn some helpful strategies.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 357-70 today to pass the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights, which would begin protecting consumers from abrupt interest-rate hikes and unfair or deceptive billing by July 1, 2010. A similar bill in the U.S. Senate is yet to go to a full vote and is considered less certain to pass. Read on for the fine print.

Nearly 34 million Americans admit they've been late making credit card payments, and about 18 million people say they've missed payments entirely. That's hardly surprising, given how many Americans are struggling these days. Are you? Here's what to do about your debt.