Statement of the Electronic Funds Transfer Association on the Termination of NACHA's Electronic Benefits and Services Council.

FAIRFAX, Va. -- The Electronic Funds Transfer Association and its EBT Industry Council today issued the following statement on the decision of NACHA--the Electronic Payments Association, to terminate its Electronic Benefits and Services Council. The statement is attributed to H. Kurt Helwig, Executive Director of EFTA.

"The Electronic Funds Transfer Association and its EBT Industry Council regret the passing of NACHA'S Electronic Benefits and Services Council. Over its ten years, EBS Council members worked cooperatively with our EBT Industry Council on a number of initiatives that contributed to the proliferation of EBT systems. Chief among these initiatives was the push for the interoperability of state EBT systems.

"EFTA's EBT Industry Council remains dedicated to providing a collegial forum for continuing the work of converting government payments from paper to plastic. The EBT Industry Council welcomes any former EBS Council members who wish to continue working cooperatively on the development of the next generation of EBT systems and applications."