Madeleine Dean (D-PA)
Fair Debt Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Fair Debt Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act," aims to amend the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. It seeks to provide enhanced protection for members of the Armed Forces against harassment from debt collectors. The bill defines "covered members" to include specific service members, their dependents, and certain individuals recently separated from duty. It prohibits debt collectors from threatening a covered member with a reduction in rank, revocation of security clearance, or prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Additionally, the Comptroller General is tasked with conducting a study on the act's impact on information delivery, military readiness, and national security.
Yes
- Scored +5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill enhances consumer protections for service members by prohibiting predatory debt collection threats.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Enhanced Protections for Service Members: Debt collectors are prohibited from using specific threats to collect debts from covered members, such as threatening a reduction in rank, revocation of security clearance, or prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (Section 2(a)).
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Protection Against Unfair Representations: The bill prevents debt collectors from representing or implying that a lack of cooperation will result in a reduction in rank, loss of security clearance, or military prosecution (Section 2(b)).
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Broad Definition of Protected Individuals: Protections extend not just to active members, but also to certain dependents and individuals who have been separated, discharged, or released from duty within the last 365 days (Section 2(a)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill enhances consumer protections for service members by prohibiting predatory debt collection threats.
- 8/3/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Warren DavidsonRepublican · Ohio