A Democratic bill with 3 Democratic cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H4694-4695)
Introduced, nothing more yet
Formally proposed, and not yet handed to a committee.
Nearly every bill is sent to a committee within days. Introduction alone is not a sign of support, of momentum, or of any likelihood of passing — any member may introduce any bill.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
What this bill would do
The "FAIR Credit Act" amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to help victims of predatory practices and unfair reporting. It shortens how long negative credit information stays on reports and prohibits the reporting of medical debt. The bill creates specific credit restoration paths for victims of predatory mortgages, defrauded student loan borrowers, and economic abuse. It also expands identity theft protections by enhancing fraud alerts, security freezes, and access to free credit monitoring for vulnerable groups. Finally, it prohibits credit scoring models from penalizing people who participate in these restoration programs.
Yes· 3 of 33
- Scored +10
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill significantly enhances consumer protections against unfair credit reporting and identity theft.
- Scored +9
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Directly benefits low-income groups through free services and removal of medical debt.
- Scored +9
Would students be better off under this?
Directly helps students defrauded by proprietary schools restore their credit.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Removal of Medical Debt: Prohibits medical debt from appearing on consumer reports, which prevents these debts from unfairly reducing credit scores (Section 103).
- Shorter Negative Reporting Windows: Reduces the time most adverse credit information stays on reports, such as changing certain 10-year periods to 7 years and several 7-year periods to 4 years (Section 101).
- Faster Debt Clearance: Requires the removal of fully paid or settled debts from reports within 45 calendar days of payment or settlement (Section 102).
- Relief for Predatory Loan Victims: Allows for the removal of adverse information resulting from predatory mortgage lending or fraudulent/misleading education loan programs (Sections 104 and 105).
- Support for Abuse Survivors: Grants victims of economic abuse the right to have adverse information removed from their reports upon providing documentation (Section 106).
- Free Protection Services: Provides free credit monitoring and identity theft protection for specific groups, including unemployed people, public welfare recipients, seniors 65+, and active duty military (Section 210).
- Enhanced Identity Theft Tools: Expands fraud alert durations to 1-year and 7-year options and simplifies the process for security freezes (Section 205 and 206).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Limited Application of Free Services: Consumers who do not fall into the specified "free" categories (such as the unemployed or seniors) may still be charged a fee for credit monitoring and identity theft protection services (Section 210).
- Documentation Requirements: Victims of economic abuse must still provide specific documentation, such as court determinations or verification from qualified third parties, to have adverse information removed (Section 106).
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.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Directly benefits low-income groups through free services and removal of medical debt. Would students be better off under this? — Directly helps students defrauded by proprietary schools restore their credit. Would retired people be better off under this? — Provides free credit monitoring and identity theft protection for those 65+. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Grants seniors 65+ free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Targets predatory practices that disproportionately affect minority communities. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — Targets predatory practices that disproportionately affect minority communities. Would children be better off under this? — Provides expanded protections and tools to combat the high rate of identity theft among children. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Targets predatory practices that disproportionately affect minority communities. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Targets predatory practices that disproportionately affect minority communities. Would women be better off under this? — Strongly supports survivors of economic abuse, which disproportionately impacts women. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Improves general consumer protections and shortens negative reporting windows. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — Addresses fraud in for-profit schools that target veterans and provides military credit protections. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Provides relief for student loan borrowers and easier removal of adverse information. Would men be better off under this? — General improvement in consumer protections and identity theft tools. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Offers protections against predatory mortgage lending and identity theft. Would white Americans be better off under this? — General improvement in consumer protections and identity theft tools. Would billionaires be better off under this? — Provides enhanced identity theft tools available to all consumers. Would high-income households be better off under this? — Provides enhanced identity theft tools available to all consumers. Would people with substantial wealth be better off under this? — Provides enhanced identity theft tools available to all consumers. Would the very wealthiest people be better off under this? — Provides enhanced identity theft tools available to all consumers.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Helps low-income individuals remove unfair credit barriers that impede financial mobility. Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — Provides specific credit restoration paths for victims of economic abuse, which frequently affects women. Does this make housing cost less? — Credit restoration for predatory mortgage victims helps individuals regain access to stable housing. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — Addresses predatory lending and education fraud which the bill notes disproportionately target people of color. Is this likely to reduce homelessness? — By improving credit scores for mortgage fraud victims, it may prevent future housing instability.
- Education And Technology
- Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay? — Allows credit restoration for borrowers defrauded by proprietary education institutions. Does this give people more control over their personal data? — Expands tools for security freezes and fraud alerts to protect personal financial data.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill significantly enhances consumer protections against unfair credit reporting and identity theft. Is this likely to grow the economy? — By restoring credit for victims of predatory lending, it potentially increases consumer purchasing power and financial stability.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — Enhances a consumer's ability to freeze credit reports and protect identity. Does this give the federal government more power? — Increases the regulatory oversight of the CFPB over credit reporting agencies.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Removing medical debt from credit reports reduces the financial penalty associated with seeking healthcare.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — Provides specific identity theft protections and credit monitoring for active duty military.
- 7/21/2026
- Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H4694-4695)
- 7/9/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- 3 Cosponsors 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.
André CarsonDemocrat · Indiana
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Melanie StansburyDemocrat · New Mexico