,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #gg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of 
,,representatives  ,january #be1        
#bjai,ms4 ,waters submitted the         
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,financial        
,services  ,,resolution  ,expressing the
 sense of ,congress that financial      
institutions and other companies should 
work proactively with their customers   
affected by the shutdown of the ,federal
 ,government who may be facing          
short-term financial hardship and       
long-term damage to their               
creditworthiness through no fault of    
their own4  ,that it is the sense of    
,congress that-- 7#a7 financial         
institutions and other companies1 such  
as consumer reporting agencies and      
companies engaged in the production of  
consumer scores1 should work with       
consumers affected by the shutdown of   
the ,federal ,government that began on  
,december #bb1 #bjah2  7#b7 the negative
 impact the shutdown is having on       

millions of consumers and the ,u4,s4    
economy is significant and growing2 for 
example1 analysis from ,s,p ,global     
,ratings estimates that the ,u4,s4      
economy has already lost more than #f   
billion as of ,january #be1 #bjai1 and  
will continue to reduce real ,gross     
,domestic ,product by #a4b billion each 
week the government shutdown continues2 
7#c7 financial institutions and other   
companies1 such as consumer reporting   
agencies and companies engaged in the   
production of consumer scores should    
provide opportunities for consumers     
affected by the shutdown--including     
,federal employees1 government          
contractors1 small businesses1 and other
 individuals--who are or will be facing 
financial distress to easily contact and
 alert them of their situation          
immediately2  7#d7 affected consumers   
may face financial hardship in making   
timely payments on their debts1 such as 
mortgages1 student loans1 car loans1    
credit cards1 and other debt1 as well as

 paying for rent1 food1 transportation1 
school and other basic necessities1 due 
to the temporary delay or permanent loss
 of their income2  7#e7 financial       
institutions should consider waiving or 
reducing penalty1 late payment1 and     
similar fees as well as ceasing         
foreclosures and providing forbearance  
for the duration of the shutdown1 in    
order to provide quick relief to their  
affected customers2  7#f7 consumers     
affected by the shutdown may be         
experiencing financial stress through no
 fault of their own and their           
creditworthiness should not be impaired 
because of the shutdown2  7#g7 financial
 institutions and other companies1 such 
as consumer reporting agencies and      
companies engaged in the production of  
consumer scores1 should take steps to   
prevent adverse information being       
reported and utilized in any manner that
 harms affected consumers1 including by 
preventing modified credit arrangements 
intended to help consumers fulfill their

 financial obligations from being       
reported to1 and coded by1 consumer     
reporting agencies on a person's credit 
report in a manner that hurts the       
creditworthiness of the affected        
consumers2  7#h7 new products1 services1
 or prudent workout arrangements        
designed to help affected consumers that
 are consistent with safe and sound     
lending practices are generally in the  
long-term best interest of the financial
 institution1 the consumer1 and the     
economy2  7#i7 financial institutions   
should work proactively to identify     
their customers who have been affected  
and adopt flexible1 prudent arrangements
 to help such customers meet their debt 
and other obligations2 and  7#aj7       
prudent efforts to adopt flexible       
workout arrangements for affected       
consumers should not be subject to      
examiner criticism or negative          
examinations4