PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jun 9, 2016
Stop Debt Collection Abuse Act of 2016
This bill amends the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to redefine: (1) "debt" to include any obligation or alleged obligation of a consumer to pay a loan, an overpayment, a fine, penalty, a fee, or other money owed currently or originally to a federal agency and that is at least 180 days past due; and (2) "debt collector" to include any person who regularly collects debts currently or originally owed or allegedly owed to a federal agency.
A federal agency that is a creditor may sell or transfer a debt to a debt collector beginning 90 days after the obligation or alleged obligation becomes delinquent or defaults.
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The Act is further amended by making the collection of any amount (including any interest, fee, charge, or expense incidental to the principal obligation) an unfair practice unless:
the amount is expressly authorized by the agreement creating the debt or permitted by law (as under current law); and
in the case of a debt owed a federal agency as specified in this bill, the collection charge is reasonable in relation to actual collection costs, is authorized by a contract between the debt collector and the federal agency, and does not exceed 10% of the amount the debt collector collects.
The Government Accountability Office shall study the use of debt collectors by federal, state, and local government agencies.
People & committees
Rep. Love, Mia B. [R-UT-4] · R–UT
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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