Support for S.401 - Protecting Lawful Access to Financial Services Act

I am writing to express my strong support for S.401, the Protecting Lawful Access to Financial Services Act. This legislation addresses a deeply concerning trend I’ve observed in recent years: the increasing willingness of financial institutions and payment processors, such as Visa and Mastercard, to act as de facto regulators by restricting access to financial services for individuals and businesses engaged in lawful commerce. Time and time again, we've seen payment processors refuse service to creators, artists, and businesses simply because their products or services are viewed as controversial or "objectionable", even when no laws have been broken. Most recently, this has extended to the digital gaming space, where storefronts are being pressured to remove content that, while sometimes controversial, remains fully legal. This selective denial of service is often justified using vague and subjective terms like "reputational risk," but in practice it functions as a mechanism for enforcing arbitrary ideological standards. These actions pose a direct threat to free expression and economic liberty. No unelected financial entity should have the power to dictate what legal goods and services the American public may access. This kind of financial gatekeeping chills speech, harms livelihoods, and undermines the very principles of due process and democratic accountability. I respectfully urge you to support this bill and defend the right of all Americans to participate in the economy without fear of being blacklisted by private actors for engaging in lawful activity. This legislation is a critical step toward restoring fairness and neutrality to our financial system.