[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 142 (Thursday, September 12, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S6030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3266. Mr. WARNOCK (for himself and Mr. Budd) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4638, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2025 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

   DIVISION _____--FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES FOR SERVICEMEMBERS

     SEC. ___01. SHORT TITLE.

       This division may be cited as the ``Fair Debt Collection 
     Practices for Servicemembers Act''.

     SEC. ___02. ENHANCED PROTECTION AGAINST DEBT COLLECTOR 
                   HARASSMENT OF SERVICEMEMBERS.

       (a) Communication in Connection With Debt Collection.--
     Section 805 of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 
     U.S.C. 1692c) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Communications Concerning Servicemember Debts.--
       ``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `covered 
     member' means--
       ``(A) a covered member or a dependent as defined in section 
     987(i) of title 10, United States Code; and
       ``(B)(i) an individual who was separated, discharged, or 
     released from duty described in such section 987(i)(1), but 
     only during the 365-day period beginning on the date of 
     separation, discharge, or release; or
       ``(ii) a person, with respect to an individual described in 
     clause (i), described in subparagraph (A), (D), (E), or (I) 
     of section 1072(2) of title 10, United States Code.
       ``(2) Prohibitions.--A debt collector may not, in 
     connection with the collection of any debt of a covered 
     member--
       ``(A) threaten to have the covered member reduced in rank;
       ``(B) threaten to have the covered member's security 
     clearance revoked; or
       ``(C) threaten to have the covered member prosecuted under 
     chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code 
     of Military Justice).''.
       (b) Unfair Practices.--Section 808 of the Fair Debt 
     Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. 1692f) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(9) The representation to any covered member (as defined 
     under section 805(e)(1)) that failure to cooperate with a 
     debt collector will result in--
       ``(A) a reduction in rank of the covered member;
       ``(B) a revocation of the covered member's security 
     clearance; or
       ``(C) prosecution under chapter 47 of title 10, United 
     States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice).''.

     SEC. ___03. GAO STUDY.

       The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct 
     a study and submit a report to Congress on the impact of this 
     division on--
       (1) the timely delivery of information to a covered member 
     (as defined in section 805(e) of the Fair Debt Collection 
     Practices Act, as added by this division);
       (2) military readiness; and
       (3) national security, including the extent to which 
     covered members with security clearances would be impacted by 
     uncollected debt.

     SEC. ___04. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

       Nothing in this division shall be construed to prevent 
     legally informing servicemembers of their debt and collecting 
     the debt from servicemembers through legal means.
                                 ______