House Passes Bill to Provide Additional Protections to FDCPA for Servicemembers

The House has passed a bipartisan bill that amends the FDCPA to provide additional protections to servicemembers.  The bill, H.R. 5003, amends 15 U.S.C. §§1692c and f to add provisions regarding communications to servicemembers, their dependents, and those discharged within the past year ("covered persons").  The bill proposes to amend Section 1692c, which addresses communications in connection with debt collection to prohibit debt collectors in connection with the collection of any debt of a covered person from threatening with a reduction in rank, a revocation of security clearance or military prosecution. The bill proposes to similarly amend Section 1692f to consider such representations made to covered persons as being an unfair debt collection practice.  The bill has been forwarded to the Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs for further consideration.