Bill Summary
The "Predatory Lending Elimination Act" seeks to amend the Truth in Lending Act to extend specific consumer credit protections that currently apply to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents to all consumers. The legislation aims to limit the maximum rates of interest on consumer credit and to enforce stricter regulations on creditors.
Key provisions include:
1. **Application of Military Lending Act**: The protections of the Military Lending Act will be applied to all consumers, not just military personnel and their dependents. However, exceptions are made for residential mortgages, auto loans directly tied to vehicle purchases, and loans from federal credit unions.
2. **Annual Percentage Rate Calculation**: It specifies how the annual percentage rate (APR) should be calculated for open-end credit plans, ensuring that certain fees are not included in the finance charge.
3. **State Law**: The Act does not preempt state laws that offer greater consumer protections.
4. **Penalties and Enforcement**: It establishes penalties for creditors that violate these provisions and allows state attorneys general and regulators to enforce the provisions and seek remedies.
5. **Regulatory Framework**: The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection is tasked with issuing rules to implement these changes within a year of the law's enactment.
Overall, this legislation aims to enhance consumer protection against predatory lending practices, ensuring fair treatment and transparency in consumer credit.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the proposed "Predatory Lending Elimination Act" could affect people:
1. **Increased Consumer Protections**: The legislation extends consumer credit protections previously only available to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents to all consumers. This means that more individuals will benefit from protections against predatory lending practices, such as excessive interest rates and hidden fees, leading to fairer lending practices and potentially improving financial stability for many consumers.
2. **Limitations on Interest Rates**: By applying the limitations on consumer credit and maximum rates of interest (similar to those established under the Military Lending Act) to all consumers, individuals will likely see a reduction in the cost of borrowing. This could help prevent consumers from falling into debt traps due to high-interest loans, thereby improving their financial health and reducing the likelihood of bankruptcy or financial distress.
3. **State Enforcement and Remedies**: The legislation allows state attorneys general and regulators to enforce the provisions of the Act, empowering them to take legal action against creditors who violate these protections. This could lead to increased accountability among lenders, encouraging them to adhere to fair lending practices. Consumers who experience violations may have better access to legal remedies, which can help them recover losses or resolve disputes with creditors more effectively.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3793 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3793
To amend the Truth in Lending Act to extend the consumer credit
protections provided to members of the Armed Forces and their
dependents under title 10, United States Code, to all consumers.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 5, 2026
Mr. Reed (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Fetterman,
Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Schatz, Ms.
Smith, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Welch, Mr.
Wyden, and Mr. Booker) introduced the following bill; which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Truth in Lending Act to extend the consumer credit
protections provided to members of the Armed Forces and their
dependents under title 10, United States Code, to all consumers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Predatory Lending Elimination Act''.
SEC. 2. LIMITATIONS ON CONSUMER CREDIT AND MAXIMUM RATES OF INTEREST.
(a) In General.--Chapter 2 of the Truth in Lending Act (15 U.S.C.
1631 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 140B. Limitations on consumer credit and maximum rates of
interest
``(a) Application of the Military Lending Act.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2),
section 987(b) of title 10, United States Code, shall apply to
a creditor who extends consumer credit to a consumer to the
same extent as that section applies to a creditor who extends
consumer credit to a covered member or a dependent, as those
terms are defined in such section 987.
``(2) Exceptions.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to--
``(A) a residential mortgage;
``(B) a loan procured in the course of purchasing a
car if the loan is offered--
``(i) for the express purpose of financing
the purchase; and
``(ii) is secured by the car; or
``(C) a loan made by a Federal credit union, as
defined in section 101 of the Federal Credit Union Act
(12 U.S.C. 1752), subject to the rate of interest limit
provided under section 107(5)(A)(vi) of that Act, as
implemented by the National Credit Union Administration
Board.
``(b) No Exemptions Permitted.--The exemption authority of the
Bureau under section 105(f) shall not apply with respect to this
section.
``(c) Calculation of the Annual Percentage Rate for Open-End
Credit.--
``(1) In general.--For purposes of this section, the annual
percentage rate applicable to an open-end credit plan shall be
calculated under section 107(a)(2), subject to adjustments to
the amount considered a finance charge, as provided in the
rules issued by the Secretary of Defense on July 22, 2015, to
carry out section 987 of title 10, United States Code.
``(2) Exception to finance charge calculation.--
``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1),
for consumer credit extended in a credit card account
under an open-end (not home-secured) consumer credit
plan, a bona fide fee other than a periodic rate is not
a charge required to be included in the finance charge
for purposes of this section if the fee is assessed in
compliance with section 127(n).
``(B) Limitation.--Subparagraph (A) shall not apply
to--
``(i) any credit insurance premium or fee,
including any charge for single premium credit
insurance, any fee for a debt cancellation
contract, or any fee for a debt suspension
agreement; or
``(ii) any fee for a credit-related
ancillary product sold in connection with the
credit card account under an open-end (not
home-secured) consumer credit plan.
``(d) Relation to State Law.--Nothing in this section may be
construed to preempt any provision of State law that provides greater
protection to consumers than is provided under this section.
``(e) Penalties and Remedies.--Section 987(f) of title 10, United
States Code, shall apply to a creditor who extends consumer credit to a
consumer in violation of this section to the same extent as such
section 987(f) applies to a creditor who extends consumer credit to a
covered member or a dependent, as those terms are defined in such
section 987.
``(f) Preservation of State Enforcement.--
``(1) State attorneys general.--Not later than 3 years
after the date on which a violation of this section occurs, the
attorney general of a State (or an equivalent official) may
bring a civil action in the name of that State--
``(A) in any district court of the United States
that is located in that State or in a State court that
is located in that State and that has jurisdiction over
the defendant; and
``(B) to--
``(i) enforce provisions of this section or
rules issued under this section; and
``(ii) secure remedies under provisions of
this section or remedies otherwise provided
under other law.
``(2) State regulators.--Not later than 3 years after the
date on which a violation of this section occurs, a State
regulator may bring a civil action or initiate another
appropriate proceeding to--
``(A) enforce the provisions of this section or
regulations issued under this section with respect to
any entity that is, or is required to be, State-
chartered, incorporated, licensed, or otherwise
authorized to do business under State law; and
``(B) secure remedies under provisions of this
section or remedies otherwise provided under other
provisions of law with respect to an entity described
in subparagraph (A).
``(3) Notice requirement; additional regulations.--
Subsections (b), (c), and (d) of section 1042 of the Consumer
Financial Protection Act of 2010 (12 U.S.C. 5552), shall apply
to a civil action or other appropriate proceeding brought or
initiated under paragraph (1) or (2) to the same extent as
those subsections apply to actions and other administrative and
regulatory proceedings described in subsection (a) of that
section.
``(g) Regulations.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 1027(o) of the
Consumer Financial Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 5517(o)), not
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section,
the Bureau, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense,
shall--
``(A) issue rules carrying out this section; and
``(B) notify Congress and the public, including on
the website of the Bureau, regarding the issuance of
the rules required under subparagraph (A).
``(2) Consistency.--The rules issued by the Bureau under
paragraph (1)--
``(A) shall be consistent with rules issued by the
Secretary of Defense to carry out section 987 of title
10, United States Code; and
``(B) may not provide lesser protection to
consumers than the protection afforded covered members,
as defined in section 987 of title 10, United States
Code, in applicable provisions in the rules issued by
the Secretary of Defense on July 22, 2015, to carry out
that section.''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents for
chapter 2 of the Truth in Lending Act is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``140B. Limitations on consumer credit and maximum rates of
interest.''.
(c) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall
apply to an extension of credit made after the earlier of--
(1) the date on which the rules issued by the Bureau of
Consumer Financial Protection under subsection (g) of section
140B of the Truth in Lending Act, as added by subsection (a) of
this section, require compliance; and
(2) the date that is 18 months after the date of enactment
of this Act.
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