Fair Debt Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me. I also thank the ranking member and the committee in its entirety for working on this bill together. It is a sign of bipartisanship, one that I can be proud of and we can all be proud of.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1491, the Fair Debt Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act.

Every day, we are reminded of the significant sacrifices our troops make to protect us. As Members of Congress, I believe we have a responsibility to protect those who protect us.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act works to live up to this responsibility by addressing abusive debt collection practices specifically targeting servicemembers.

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, approximately 40 percent of complaints filed by servicemembers concern debt collection, as compared to only 26 percent by nonservicemembers. These debt collection practices are manipulative and have negative career implications for soldiers, like contacting their superior officers or threatening them with rank reductions.

Unfortunately, these practices do not stop with the servicemembers. Debt collectors also target military spouses, unfairly burdening our military families who have sacrificed so much.

These tactics are egregious and must stop. Our servicemen and -women make extraordinary sacrifices on our behalf. The last thing they need is harassment from debt collectors who take advantage of their service, which is why I am pleased to rise in support of the bill today.

Specifically, my bill amends the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and prohibits a debt collector from communicating with a servicemember's chain of command or a dependent for the purpose of threatening to have their rank reduced or threatening to revoke their security clearance.

This legislation will help ensure that our military families are not unnecessarily targeted and shield them from bad practices from debt collectors. We recognize our servicemembers' spirit of service, and we must do our part to be of service to them.

Madam Speaker, I urge all Members, as they did last Congress, to support the Fair Debt Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act.

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