Pictured, L to R: Jon DeWitte (Rep. Bill Huizenga), Marliss McManus (Rep. Bill Huizenga), eBay Inc.'s Ali Gabel, Rep. Robert Pittenger, Rep. Bill Huizenga

Last week, two Members of Congress -- both of whom serve  on the House Financial Services Committee -- toured the eBay Inc. Commerce Innovation Center in New York City: Rep. Bill Huizenga (MI-02) and Rep. Robert Pittenger (NC-09). The House Financial Services Committee has jurisdiction over financial-services-related issues, including mobile commerce. While unlikely that the U.S. Congress will act in the area of mobile payments anytime soon, data and security issues, especially in light of the recent high-profile data breaches, remain hot topics on Capitol Hill.

During the visit, eBay Inc. offered the company's vision for growth, especially through the lenses of consumer benefits, the growth of mobile, and how the competitive environment will develop. The visit was an opportunity to showcase how PayPal -- as an industry leader in mobile -- is uniquely positioned to leverage its wealth of technology and insights to create new commerce experiences for customers. Topics also included new requirements for cross-border payments that have created a number of repetitive burdens for money services businesses (MSBs) like PayPal and small banks and credit unions. Whether trying to create a frictionless consumer experience when engaging in transactions or a better buying experience overall, eBay Inc. understands that the future of commerce isn't just about transactions; it's about people and putting the power directly in the hands of customers.