,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #abhf ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #ad1 #bjai,mr4 ,sherman 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4 ,mc,govern1 ,mr4 ,kilmer1 and ,mr4 ,rouda7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services ,a ,,bill ,to prohibit consumer credit reporting agencies and lenders from taking adverse action against federal employees and contractors impacted by the government shutdown1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,federal ,employee ,credit ,score ,protection ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,prohibition on lowering the credit scores of covered individuals 7a7 ,in general ,the ,fair ,credit ,reporting ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #afha et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following new sections3 #fcj4 ,prohibitions relating to credit scores during a shutdown 7a7 ,in general ,subject to subsection 7b71 a covered entity may not lower the credit score of a covered individual who fails to pay any qualified expense or obligation during the period beginning on the first day of a shutdown and ending on the date that is #fj days after the date on which the shutdown ends1 if the covered individual pays the qualified expense or obligation within such period4 7b7 ,requirements and ,procedures 7#a7 ,identification ,a covered entity shall1 to the extent practicable1 identify covered individuals eligible under subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,assistance from the ,office of ,personnel ,management ,the ,director of the ,office of ,personnel ,management shall1 to the extent practicable1 assist covered entities in identifying covered individuals4 7#c7 ,notification by individuals ,not later than #a year after the date that is #fj days after the date on which a shutdown ends1 a covered individual may notify a covered entity that the covered entity may not lower the credit score of the covered individual pursuant to subsection 7a71 and if such credit score has been lowered1 such covered individual may seek a reversal of that action4 7c7 ,notification by entities ,a covered entity shall notify the public-- 7#a7 of the requirement described under subsection 7a72 and 7#b7 how a covered individual may-- 7,a7 inform the entity of the eligibility of the individual under subsection 7a72 and 7,b7 submit such reasonable materials deemed necessary to confirm such eligibility4 7d7 ,duties of consumer reporting agencies ,a consumer reporting agency that receives a credible notification that a covered individual is eligible under subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 notify covered entities of the eligibility of such covered individual2 7#b7 to the extent practicable1 inform other consumer reporting agencies of the eligibility of such covered individual2 and 7#c7 in the event the credit score of a covered individual was lowered prior to receipt of such credible notification1 take all necessary measures to reverse that action and restore the credit score of the covered individual such that it reflects the credit score such covered individual would have received absent the consideration of the nonpayment of a qualified expense or obligation4 7e7 ,enforcement ,upon petition by a covered individual1 the ,bureau may-- 7#a7 require a covered entity to make appropriate adjustments to the credit score of the covered individual2 and 7#b7 issue a fine or take another enforcement action1 as determined by the ,bureau4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,covered entity ,the term covered entity means an entity that develops a credit score4 7#b7 ,covered individual ,the term covered individual means-- 7,a7 an employee of the ,federal ,government who is furloughed or excepted from furlough during the shutdown2 7,b7 a ,federal contractor who1 during any lapse in ,federal appropriations1 is not receiving pay by reason of such lapse2 and 7,c7 a spouse of an individual described under subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b74 7#c7 ,credit score ,the term credit score has the meaning given in section #fji7;f77#b74 7#d7 ,qualified expense or obligation ,the term qualified expense or obligation means any payment1 including a partial payment1 of a covered individual relating to a mortgage loan1 rent1 credit cards1 medical expenses1 automobile purchases or leases1 student loans1 insurance premiums1 utilities1 and other recurring payments or expenses ordinarily incurred by such covered individual 7as determined by the ,bureau74 7#e7 ,shutdown ,the term shutdown means the period of a lapse in appropriations beginning on or after ,december #bb1 #bjah1 and that ends before ,october #a1 #bjai4 #fca4 ,prohibition on adverse lending determinations for covered individuals 7a7 ,prohibition ,a creditor 7as defined in section #ajc of the ,truth in ,lending ,act7 may not knowingly deny credit1 or knowingly provide credit on less favorable terms than would otherwise be provided1 to a covered individual who fails to pay any qualified expense or obligation during the period beginning on the first day of a shutdown and ending on the date that is #fj days after the date on which the shutdown ends1 if the covered individual pays the qualified expense or obligation within such period4 7b7 ,enforcement ,the ,bureau may issue a fine or take another enforcement action1 as determined by the ,bureau1 against a creditor that violates subsection 7a7 if the ,bureau determines by a preponderance of the evidence that the fact that the covered individual failed to pay a qualified expense while not receiving pay by reason of a lapse in ,federal appropriations1 or during the #fj-;day period immediately following such lapse in ,federal appropriations1 was a substantial factor in the action taken by the creditor that violated subsection 7a74 7c7 ,definitions ,the terms covered individual1 qualified expense or obligation1 and shutdown have the meanings given those terms1 respectively1 in section #fca4 4 7b7 ,table of contents amendment ,the table of contents of the ,fair ,credit ,reporting ,act is amended by adding at the end the following new items3 #fcj4 ,prohibitions relating to credit scores during a shutdown4 #fca4 ,prohibition on adverse lending determinations for covered individuals4 4