[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 7, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1491-S1492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2127. Mr. REED submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 2155, to promote economic growth, provide tailored 
regulatory relief, and enhance consumer protections, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       Strike section 301 and insert the following:

     SEC. 301. PROTECTING CONSUMERS' CREDIT.

       (a) In General.--The Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 
     1681 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 604 (15 U.S.C. 1681b)--
       (A) by striking subsections (c) through (e) and inserting 
     the following:
       ``(c) Conditions for Furnishing Certain Consumer Reports.--
       ``(1) In general.--A consumer reporting agency may furnish 
     a consumer report for the following purposes only if the 
     consumer provides the consumer reporting agency with 
     affirmative written consent to furnish the consumer report, 
     after furnishing proper identification under section 610:
       ``(A) An extension of credit pursuant to subsection 
     (a)(3)(A).
       ``(B) The underwriting of insurance pursuant to subsection 
     (a)(3)(C).
       ``(2) Additional reports; election.--After a consumer has 
     provided affirmative written consent and furnished proper 
     identification under paragraph (1) to a consumer reporting 
     agency, the consumer reporting agency may continue to furnish 
     consumer reports solely for the purposes of reviewing or 
     collecting on an account described in subparagraphs (A) and 
     (C) of subsection (a)(3).
       ``(3) Furnishing reports in connection with credit or 
     insurance transactions that are not initiated by consumer.--
       ``(A) In general.--A consumer reporting agency may furnish 
     a consumer report to a person in connection with any credit 
     or insurance transaction under subparagraph (A) or (C) of 
     subsection (a)(3) that is not initiated by the consumer only 
     if--
       ``(i) the consumer provides the consumer reporting agency 
     affirmative written consent to furnish the consumer report, 
     after furnishing proper identification under section 610; and
       ``(ii) the transaction consists of a firm offer of credit 
     or insurance.
       ``(B) Election.--The consumer may elect to--
       ``(i) have the consumer's name and addresses included in 
     lists of names and addresses provided by the consumer 
     reporting agency pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (C) of 
     subsection (a)(3) in connection with any credit or insurance 
     transaction that is not initiated by the consumer only if--

       ``(I) the consumer provides the consumer reporting agency 
     affirmative written consent to furnish the consumer report, 
     after furnishing proper identification under section 610; and
       ``(II) the transaction consists of a firm offer of credit 
     or insurance; and

       ``(ii) revoke at any time the election pursuant to clause 
     (i) to have the consumer's name and address included in lists 
     provided by a consumer reporting agency.
       ``(C) Information regarding inquiries.--Except as provided 
     in section 609(a)(5), a consumer reporting agency shall not 
     furnish to any person a record of inquiries in connection 
     with a credit or insurance transaction that is not initiated 
     by a consumer.
       ``(4) Disclosures.--
       ``(A) In general.--A person may not procure a consumer 
     report for any purpose pursuant to subparagraphs (D), (F), 
     and (G) of subsection (a)(3) unless--
       ``(i) a clear and conspicuous disclosure has been made in 
     writing to the consumer at any time before the report is 
     procured or caused to be procured, in a document that 
     consists solely of the disclosure, that a consumer report may 
     be obtained for such purposes; and
       ``(ii) the consumer has authorized in writing the 
     procurement of the consumer report by that person.
       ``(B) Authorizations.--The authorization described in 
     subparagraph (A)(ii) may be made on the disclosure document 
     provided under subparagraph (A)(i).
       ``(5) Rule making.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of enactment of the Control Your Personal Credit Information 
     Act of 2018, the Director of the Bureau shall promulgate 
     regulations that--
       ``(A) implement this subsection;
       ``(B) establish a model form for the disclosure document 
     pursuant to paragraph (4) and define the term clear and 
     conspicuous disclosure;
       ``(C) establish guidelines that permit consumers to provide 
     a single written authorization as required by paragraph (1) 
     for a specific time period for multiple users for the 
     specified purpose during that time period;
       ``(D) require a consumer reporting agency to provide to 
     each consumer a secure, convenient, accessible, and cost-free 
     method by which a consumer may allow or disallow the 
     furnishing of consumer reports pursuant to this subsection; 
     and
       ``(E) require a consumer reporting agency not later than 2 
     business days after the date on which a consumer makes an 
     election to revoke the consumer's inclusion of the consumer's 
     name and address in lists provided by a consumer reporting 
     agency pursuant to paragraph (3)(B) to implement that 
     election.
       ``(6) Prohibitions.--
       ``(A) In general.--The method described in paragraph (5)(D) 
     shall not be used to--
       ``(i) collect any information on a consumer that is not 
     necessary for the purpose of the consumer to allow or 
     disallow the furnishing of consumer reports; or
       ``(ii) advertise any product or service.
       ``(B) No waiver.--In the offering of a method described in 
     paragraph (5)(D), a consumer reporting agency shall not 
     require a consumer to waive any rights nor indemnify the 
     consumer reporting agency from any liabilities arising from 
     the offering of such method.
       ``(7) Reports.--
       ``(A) CFPB.--
       ``(i) Recommendation.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of enactment of the Control Your Personal Credit 
     Information Act of 2018, the Director of the Bureau shall, 
     after consultation with the Federal Deposit Insurance 
     Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, and 
     other Federal and State regulators as the Director of the 
     Bureau determines are appropriate, submit to the Committee on 
     Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Financial Services of the House of 
     Representatives recommendations on how to provide consumers 
     greater transparency and personal control over their consumer 
     reports furnished for permissible purposes under subsections 
     (a)(3)(E) and (a)(6).
       ``(ii) Report.--The Director of the Bureau shall submit to 
     the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House 
     of Representatives an annual report that includes 
     recommendations on how this subsection may be improved, a 
     description of enforcement actions taken to demonstrate 
     compliance with this subsection, recommendations on how to 
     improve oversight of consumer reporting agencies and users of 
     consumer reports, and any other recommendations concerning 
     how consumers may be provided greater transparency and 
     control over their personal information.
       ``(B) GAO.--
       ``(i) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall conduct a study on what additional protections or 
     restrictions may be needed to ensure that the information 
     collected in consumer files is secure and does not adversely 
     impact consumers.
       ``(ii) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of the Control Your Personal Credit Information Act 
     of 2018, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
     submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
     Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services 
     of the House of Representatives a report on the results of 
     the study under clause (i), which shall include--

       ``(I) to the greatest extent possible, the presentation of 
     unambiguous conclusions and specific recommendations for 
     further legislative changes needed to ensure that the 
     information collected in consumer files is secure and does 
     not adversely impact consumers; and
       ``(II) if no recommendations for further legislative 
     changes are presented, a detailed explanation of why no such 
     changes are recommended.'';

       (B) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections 
     (d) and (e), respectively; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(f) No Fees.--No consumer reporting agency may charge a 
     consumer any fee for any activity pursuant to this 
     section.'';
       (2) in section 607(a) (15 U.S.C. 1681e(a)), by inserting 
     ``Every consumer reporting agency shall use commercially 
     reasonable efforts to

[[Page S1492]]

     avoid unauthorized access to consumer reports and information 
     in the file of a consumer maintained by the consumer 
     reporting agency, including complying with any appropriate 
     standards established under section 501(b) of the Gramm-
     Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6801(b)).'' after the end of the 
     third sentence;
       (3) in section 609 (15 U.S.C. 1681g), by striking 
     subsection (b) and inserting the following:
       ``(b) Scope of Disclosure.--The Director of the Bureau 
     shall promulgate regulations to clarify that any information 
     held by a consumer reporting agency about a consumer shall be 
     disclosed to the consumer when a consumer makes a written 
     request, irrespective of whether the information is held by 
     the parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of a consumer reporting 
     agency.''; and
       (4) in section 610(a)(1) (15 U.S.C. 1681h(a)(1)), by 
     striking ``section 609'' and inserting ``sections 604 and 
     609''.
       (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--The Fair Credit 
     Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 603(d)(3) (15 U.S.C. 1681a(d)(3)), in the 
     matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ``604(g)(3)'' 
     and inserting ``604(e)(3)'';
       (2) in section 615(d) (15 U.S.C. 1681m(d))--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``604(c)(1)(B)'' and inserting ``604(c)(3)(A)(ii)''; and
       (ii) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``604(e)'' and 
     inserting ``604(c)(5)(D)''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``604(e)'' and 
     inserting ``604(c)(5)(D)''; and
       (3) in section 625(b)(1)(A) (15 U.S.C. 1681t(b)(1)(A)), by 
     striking ``subsection (c) or (e) of section 604'' and 
     inserting ``604(c)''.
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