119 HR 10373 IH: Protecting Workers' Wages from Medical Debt Act U.S. House of Representatives 2026-09-14 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I119th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 10373IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSeptember 14, 2026Mr. Scott of Virginia (for himself, Ms. Omar, and Mr. Casar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and WorkforceA BILLTo amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to prohibit the garnishment of wages in relation to medical debt, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Protecting Workers' Wages from Medical Debt Act.

2.

Prohibition on wage garnishment for medical debts

(a)

In general

The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 7 the following:

8.

Prohibition on wage garnishment for medical debts

(a)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no wages of an employee may be subject to garnishment for the payment of any medical debt.(b)

Prohibition on courts and States

No court of the United States or any State, and no State (or officer or agency thereof), may make, execute, or enforce any order or process in violation of this section.(c)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Garnishment

The term garnishment means any legal or equitable procedure through which the wages of any individual are required to be withheld for payment of any medical debt.(2)

Medical debt

.The term medical debt means a debt arising from the furnishing of items and services by a health care facility or health care provider (as defined in section 101(6) of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2611(6)).

.(b)

Conforming amendment

Section 10 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 210) is repealed.(c)

Effective date

This Act shall take effect on the date that is 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act.