The Associated Press' Candice Choi reports on the congressional committee hearing on the Obama administration's proposal to ban arbitration clauses from credit card agreements and recently introduced regulations that prohibit practices such as arbitrary interest rate hikes. Although banks typically use arbitration to pursue unpaid debts, Ms. Choi reports, arbitration clauses also shield institutions from class action cases. Ballard Spahr's Alan S. Kaplinsky tells the AP that eliminating arbitration and opening the door for class action suits would increase banks' legal costs, which would be passed on to consumers.