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S. 3565 116th Congress Senate

Small Business and Consumer Debt Collection Emergency Relief Act of 2020

Official title: A bill to amend the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to provide additional protections for consumers and small business owners from debt collection during a major disaster or emergency.

Introduced: March 23, 2020 See on congress.gov
Finance and Financial Sector BankruptcyCardiovascular and respiratory healthCivil actions and liabilityConstitution and constitutional amendments
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Consumer creditDebt collectionDisaster relief and insuranceEmergency medical services and trauma careInfectious and parasitic diseasesInterest, dividends, interest ratesPublic utilities and utility ratesSmall business
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 22, 2020
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Mar 22, 2020
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action March 22, 2020

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Small Business and Consumer Debt Collection Emergency Relief Act of 2020

This bill places restrictions on the collection of consumer and small business debts during a major disaster or emergency, including during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency period. Among other things, debt collectors may not during such a period

  • enforce a security interest through a repossession or foreclosure,
  • commence or continue litigation to collect a debt,
  • terminate utility service,
  • seize assets,
  • commence or continue an eviction, or
  • charge fees or apply a higher interest rate as a result of nonpayment.

After such a period, debt collectors must provide certain repayment options including extending the repayment period for debts.

Violations of these provisions are subject to civil enforcement.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 6379 Workforce Emergency Response Act of 2020
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 3
All 3 Democratic 3
D
Merkley, Jeff
Oregon · May 12, 2020
 D
Booker, Cory A.
New Jersey · Mar 23, 2020
 D
Warren, Elizabeth
Massachusetts · Mar 23, 2020
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 3565: Small Business and Consumer Debt Collection Emergency Relief Act of 2020. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3565/
MLA
"S. 3565: Small Business and Consumer Debt Collection Emergency Relief Act of 2020." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3565/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 3565, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3565/.
Markdown link
[S. 3565: Small Business and Consumer Debt Collection Emergency Relief Act of 2020](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3565/)
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