HR 2547 · 117th Congress
2021–2023, ended
Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act
Latest action · May 17, 2021 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedApr 15, 2021
- Passed HouseMay 13, 2021
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act
This bill generally provides additional financial protections for consumers and places restrictions on debt collection activities.
Regarding additional consumer protections, the bill
- expands certain protections currently applicable to federally backed student loans to private student loans, including by requiring the discharge of a private student loan in the event of the borrower's death or total and permanent disability;
- prohibits a consumer reporting agency from adding any information related to a debt arising from a medically necessary procedure to a consumer credit report and places restrictions on the reporting of other types of medical debt; and
- applies certain consumer protections regarding debt collection to debt owed to a federal agency, states, debt buyers, and businesses engaged in nonjudicial foreclosures.
It also prohibits certain loan conditions that limit a borrower's opportunity to be heard in court in the event of default.
Additionally, the bill restricts debt collectors and debt collection practices by
- prohibiting a debt collector from representing to a service member that failure to cooperate with a debt collector will result in a reduction of rank or similar action,
- limiting a debt collector's electronic communications with a debtor without the debtor's permission, and
- requiring a debt collector to provide advance notice to a consumer of the intent to take legal action to collect a debt.
The Government Accountability Office must report on the impact of debt collection on service members and on the use of debt collectors by federal and state agencies.
Recorded votes 4
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 141 | On Passage | Passed215–207 | May 13, 2021 |
| House 140 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Failed199–224 | May 13, 2021 |
| House 139 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Failed208–214 | May 13, 2021 |
| House 138 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Agreed to210–202 | May 13, 2021 |
Cosponsors 7
Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on Apr 15, 2021.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-MA | Ayanna Pressley | Original | Apr 15, 2021 |
| D-MO | Emanuel Cleaver | Original | Apr 15, 2021 |
| D-NY | Gregory W. Meeks | Original | Apr 15, 2021 |
| D-MA | Jake Auchincloss | Original | Apr 15, 2021 |
| D-PA | Madeleine Dean | Original | Apr 15, 2021 |
| D-NY | Nydia M. Velázquez | Original | Apr 15, 2021 |
| D-MI | Rashida Tlaib | Original | Apr 15, 2021 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Financial Services Committee | Referred Apr 15, 2021Markup Apr 20, 2021Markup Apr 21, 2021Reported Apr 30, 2021 |
| Senate | Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee | Referred May 17, 2021 |
Actions 22
Everything that happened, newest first.
- May 17, 2021Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- May 13, 2021Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 380. (consideration: CR H2276-2295; text: CR H2276-2279)
- May 13, 2021Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2547 and H.R. 1065. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. The previous question on each measure is considered ordered without intervening motions except one hour of debate and a motion to recommit. H. Res. 379 is adopted.
- May 13, 2021DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 2547.
- May 13, 2021DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 380, the House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Waters amendment en bloc No. 1.
- May 13, 2021POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Waters amendment en bloc No. 1, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mrs. Wagner demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
- May 13, 2021DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 380, the House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Waters amendment en bloc No. 2.
- May 13, 2021POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Waters amendment en bloc No. 2, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Wagner demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
- May 13, 2021DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 380, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Wagner amendment No. 9.
- May 13, 2021POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Wagner amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Wagner demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
- May 13, 2021Motion to reconsider laid on the table. Agreed to without objection.
- May 13, 2021The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
- May 13, 2021Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 215 - 207 (Roll no. 141).
- May 13, 2021Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- May 11, 2021Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 380 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2547 and H.R. 1065. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. The previous question on each measure is considered ordered without intervening motions except one hour of debate and a motion to recommit. H. Res. 379 is adopted.
- Apr 30, 2021Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Financial Services. H. Rept. 117-23.
- Apr 30, 2021Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 10.
- Apr 21, 2021Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Apr 21, 2021Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 30 - 23.
- Apr 20, 2021Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Apr 15, 2021Introduced in House
- Apr 15, 2021Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
In the Congressional Record 3
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | Debate and remarks H2276–H2295Text printed H2276–H2279Amendments H2284, H2285, H2286, H2288, H2290Recorded votes H2292, H2293, H2294enactWagner amendment (substitute)Waters amendment (en bloc)Lists H2293, H2294, H2295Votes recorded by proxy on H.R. 2547, Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement ActVotes recorded by proxy on Wagner amendment to H.R. 2547, Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement ActVotes recorded by proxy on Waters amendment to H.R. 2547, Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act | Al Green D-TX, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez D-NY (amendment), Alma S. Adams D-NC (amendment), Angie Craig D-MN (amendment), Ann Wagner R-MO (amendment), Ayanna Pressley D-MA, Blaine Luetkemeyer R-MO (amendment), Bryan Steil R-WI, Cori Bush D-MO (amendment), Deborah K. Ross D-NC (amendment), Donald M. Payne, Jr. D-NJ (amendment), Emanuel Cleaver D-MO, Ilhan Omar D-MN (amendment), Jake Auchincloss D-MA, Jamaal Bowman D-NY (amendment), Madeleine Dean D-PA, Marie Newman D-IL (amendment), Maxine Waters D-CA, Michael C. Burgess R-TX (amendment), Nikema Williams D-GA (amendment), Nydia M. Velázquez D-NY, Patrick T. McHenry R-NC, Rashida Tlaib D-MI, Sheila Jackson Lee D-TX, Steve Cohen D-TN (amendment), Suzanne Bonamici D-OR (amendment), Tom Emmer R-MN, Warren Davidson R-OH | May 13, 2021 |
| House | Debate and remarks H2226–H2235Text printed H2226Amendments H2233Recorded votes H2233, H2234consideration (H. Res. 380), previous questionLists H2234, H2235Votes recorded by proxy on H. Res. 380, consideration of H.R. 2547, Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement ActVotes recorded by proxy on previous question to H. Res. 380, consideration of H.R. 2547, Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act | Deborah K. Ross D-NC, Ed Perlmutter D-CO, Guy Reschenthaler R-PA (amendment) | May 12, 2021 |
| House | Lists H1843H.R. 2547–2609 | — | Apr 15, 2021 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
- May 11, 2021Effects on Revenues and Direct Spending of H.R. 2547, the Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement ActAs reported by the House Committee on Financial Services on April 30, 2021, Including a Manager’s Amendment (Waters 9) as posted on the website of the House Committee on Rules on May 11, 2021
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 167, no. 65, April 15, 2021, page H1843.
Printed hearings 1
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. Hrg. 117-759 | ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE GROWING BURDEN OF MEDICAL DEBT114 pages | Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee | Mar 29, 2022 |
CRS reports 2
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
About this bill 1
Products that name it in their title: its number, its law number or one of its short titles.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| IN11678 | House Passes the Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act (H.R. 2547) Archived | Insight | May 20, 2021 |
Also cite it 1
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R46477 | The Debt Collection Market and Selected Policy Issues Archived | Report | Jun 22, 2021 |
Amendments 4
Amendments offered to this bill.
| Amendment | Description | Offered by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAmdt 45 | Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 380, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Financial Services, modified by the amendment printed in part A of House Report 117-29 is adopted. | Rules Committee | On agreeing to the Rules amendment (A001) Agreed to by voice vote. |
| HAmdt 46 | Amendments en bloc No. 1 comprised of amendments numbered 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, printed in Part B of House Report 117-29. | Maxine Waters D-CA | On agreeing to the Waters amendments (A002) Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 210 - 202 (Roll no. 138). |
| HAmdt 47 | Amendments en bloc No. 2 comprised of amendments numbered 4 and 8, printed in Part B of House Report 117-29. | Maxine Waters D-CA | On agreeing to the Waters amendments (A003) Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 208 - 214 (Roll no. 139). |
| HAmdt 48 | Amendment sought to replace the underlying bill with targeted approaches to improve the debt collection and credit reporting framework which would ensure the financial system remains safe and sound while protecting and introducing options for consumers. | Ann Wagner R-MO | On agreeing to the Wagner amendment (A004) Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 199 - 224 (Roll no. 140). |
Related bills 12
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HRES 380 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2547) to expand and enhance consumer, student, servicemember, and small business protections with respect to debt collection practices, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1065) to eliminate discrimination and promote womens health and economic security by ensuring reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition; and for other purposes. | Related bill | May 12, 2021 |
| S 1119 | Small Business Lending Fairness Act | Related bill | Apr 14, 2021 |
| HR 1657 | Ending Debt Collection Harassment Act of 2021 | Related bill | Mar 8, 2021 |
| HR 2135 | Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act | Related bill | Mar 23, 2021 |
| HR 2458 | Non-Judicial Foreclosure Debt Collection Clarification Act | Related bill | Apr 13, 2021 |
Titles 44
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To expand and enhance consumer, student, servicemember, and small business protections with respect to debt collection practices, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Passed House for portions of this bill
- Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act
- Short Title(s) as Reported to House
- Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act
- Short Title(s) as Passed House
- Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act
- Short Title(s) as Introduced for portions of this bill
- Debt Collection Practices Harmonization Act
- Small Business Lending Fairness Act
- Stop Debt Collection Abuse Act of 2021
- Consumer Protection for Medical Debt Collections Act
- Private Loan Disability Discharge Act of 2021
- Non-Judicial Foreclosure Debt Collection Clarification Act
- Ending Debt Collection Harassment Act of 2021
- Fair Debt Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act
- Short Title(s) as Reported to House for portions of this bill
- Fair Debt Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act
- Private Loan Disability Discharge Act of 2021
- Consumer Protection for Medical Debt Collections Act
- Ending Debt Collection Harassment Act of 2021
- Stop Debt Collection Abuse Act of 2021
- Debt Collection Practices Harmonization Act
- Non-Judicial Foreclosure Debt Collection Clarification Act
- Small Business Lending Fairness Act
- Short Title(s) as Passed House for portions of this bill
- Debt Collection Practices Harmonization Act
- Ryan Frascone Memorial Student Loan Relief Act of 2021
- SCAM Debt Act
- Securing Consumers Against Misrepresented Debt Act of 2021
- Non-Judicial Foreclosure Debt Collection Clarification Act
- Stop Debt Collection Abuse Act of 2021
- Ending Debt Collection Harassment Act of 2021
- Consumer Protection for Medical Debt Collections Act
- Private Loan Disability Discharge Act of 2021
- Fair Debt Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act
- Small Business Lending Fairness Act
- Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
- Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act
- Short Title(s) for portions of this bill from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
- Small Business Lending Fairness Act
- Private Loan Disability Discharge Act of 2021
- Consumer Protection for Medical Debt Collections Act
- SCAM Debt Act
- Ending Debt Collection Harassment Act of 2021
- Stop Debt Collection Abuse Act of 2021
- Debt Collection Practices Harmonization Act
- Non-Judicial Foreclosure Debt Collection Clarification Act
- Securing Consumers Against Misrepresented Debt Act of 2021
- Fair Debt Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act
- Ryan Frascone Memorial Student Loan Relief Act of 2021
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector.
- Bankruptcy
- Business ethics
- Cardiovascular and respiratory health
- Civil actions and liability
- Congressional oversight
- Consumer credit
- Debt collection
- Disaster relief and insurance
- Education of the disadvantaged
- Emergency medical services and trauma care
- Federal Reserve System
- Finance and Financial Sector
- Government Accountability Office (GAO)
- Government information and archives
- Government lending and loan guarantees
- Government studies and investigations
- Health care costs and insurance
- Health care coverage and access
- Health information and medical records
- Higher education
- Infectious and parasitic diseases
- Inflation and prices
- Internet and video services
- Internet, web applications, social media
- Military personnel and dependents
- Public contracts and procurement
- Racial and ethnic relations
- State and local government operations
- Student aid and college costs
- Telephone and wireless communication
- User charges and fees
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- May 17, 2021Referred in Senate
- May 13, 2021Engrossed in House
- Apr 30, 2021Reported in House
- Apr 15, 2021Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
