[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S5387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3593. Mr. SCOTT (for himself and Mr. Manchin) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 6147, making 
appropriations for the Department of the Interior, environment, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. POSITIVE CREDIT REPORTING PERMITTED.

       (a) In General.--Section 623 of the Fair Credit Reporting 
     Act (15 U.S.C. 1681s-2) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(f) Full-File Credit Reporting.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection, the following 
     definitions shall apply:
       ``(A) Energy utility firm.--The term `energy utility firm' 
     means an entity that provides gas or electric utility 
     services to the public.
       ``(B) Utility or telecommunication firm.--The term `utility 
     or telecommunication firm' means an entity that provides 
     utility services to the public through pipe, wire, landline, 
     wireless, cable, or other connected facilities, or radio, 
     electronic, or similar transmission (including the extension 
     of such facilities).
       ``(2) Information relating to lease agreements, utilities, 
     and telecommunications services.--Subject to the limitation 
     in paragraph (3) and notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, a person or the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
     Development may furnish to a consumer reporting agency 
     information relating to the performance of a consumer in 
     making payments--
       ``(A) under a lease agreement with respect to a dwelling, 
     including such a lease in which the Department of Housing and 
     Urban Development provides subsidized payments for occupancy 
     in a dwelling; or
       ``(B) pursuant to a contract for a utility or 
     telecommunications service.
       ``(3) Limitation.--Information about a consumer's usage of 
     any utility service provided by a utility or 
     telecommunication firm may be furnished to a consumer 
     reporting agency only to the extent that the information 
     relates to the payment by the consumer for the service of the 
     utility or telecommunication service or other terms of the 
     provision of the services to the consumer, including any 
     deposit, discount, or conditions for interruption or 
     termination of the service.
       ``(4) Payment plan.--An energy utility firm may not report 
     payment information to a consumer reporting agency with 
     respect to an outstanding balance of a consumer as late if--
       ``(A) the energy utility firm and the consumer have entered 
     into a payment plan (including a deferred payment agreement, 
     an arrearage management program, or a debt forgiveness 
     program) with respect to such outstanding balance; and
       ``(B) the consumer is meeting the obligations of the 
     payment plan, as determined by the energy utility firm.''.
       (b) Limitation on Liability.--Section 623(c) of the 
     Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1681s-2(c)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (2) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(3) subsection (f) of this section, including any 
     regulations issued thereunder; or''.
       (c) GAO Study and Report.--Not later than 2 years after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of 
     the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the 
     impact of furnishing information pursuant to subsection (f) 
     of section 623 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 
     1681s-2), as added by subsection (a) of this section, on 
     consumers.
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