This Week on the Hill: House Eyes Action on Credit Reporting Reform Package

House lawmakers will return to Washington today following their Martin Luther King Jr. Day district work period. On the floor, the lower chamber is set to consider four bills under suspension of the rules. This includes a bill out of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee that would direct the National Science Foundation to fund research grants across a range of disciplines with the goal of advancing suicide prevention, as well as legislation that seeks to promote veteran involvement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education.

For the balance of the week, the House has queued up a package of credit-related legislation out of the Financial Services Committee. The measure includes a host of bills that cleared the Committee on a party-line basis last summer. Notable bills included in the package would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to: (1) ban the use of credit information for most employment decisions (H.R. 3614); (2) establish requirements relating to credit scores and educational credit scores (H.R. 3618); and (3) reform the consumer report dispute process and ban certain “misleading and unfair” consumer reporting practices (H.R. 3642). Also on the House floor this week, lawmakers will consider legislation that seeks to limit President Donald Trump’s ability to engage in military offensives against Iran absent Congressional approval. 

Meanwhile, White House lawyers are set to resume their portion of the impeachment trial today in defense of President Trump. Once the president’s legal team completes their round of opening arguments, Senators are expected to begin their 16 hours of questioning. The trial could wrap up as early as this week if the Senate does not pursue additional evidence and witness testimony.