S.Amdt. 5944

SA 5944, submitted by Mr. Warnock, aims to provide enhanced protection against debt collector harassment of servicemembers. It proposes to add new protections to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

The amendment seeks to change the law by prohibiting debt collectors from using specific threats when collecting debts from covered individuals. These prohibited threats include:

• Threatening a reduction in rank.
• Threatening the revocation of a security clearance.
• Threatening prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The amendment also specifies that debt collectors can still provide accurate and lawful information about a debt, such as the amount owed or the consequences of nonpayment, as long as they do not use the prohibited threats.

Additionally, the amendment requires the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study and report to Congress on how these changes impact:

• The delivery of information to covered individuals.
• Military readiness.
• National security, specifically regarding covered individuals with security clearances and uncollected debt.