S. 5543Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)Passed Senate

Fair Credit for American Hostages Act

Introduced December 16, 2024

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 8:27 PM UTC

The Fair Credit for American Hostages Act amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to protect U.S. nationals who have been unlawfully detained or taken hostage abroad. It bars consumer reporting agencies from including any adverse credit information that arose during the period of detention or captivity. The rule applies only to those individuals identified as "covered consumers" under the new definition. This change aims to prevent unfair credit damage to Americans affected by foreign hostage situations.

Key Provisions

  • Adds a new Section 605D that defines a "covered consumer" as a U.S. national who was unlawfully detained or held hostage abroad, as determined by existing hostage‑recovery authorities.
  • Creates a definition of "detention or hostage documentation" that must certify the consumer’s status, specify the detention period, and be authenticated by the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs or the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell.
  • Requires consumer reporting agencies, if they can verify the documentation, to exclude any adverse credit items that occurred during the detention or hostage period from consumer reports.
  • Amends the table of contents of the Fair Credit Reporting Act to include the new Section 605D.

Legislative Activity

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4 earlier actions
HouseFloor Latest Action

Held at the desk.

December 17, 2024 • 10:47 AM

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

December 16, 2024

SenateFloor

Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7057; text: CR S7057)

December 16, 2024

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 17, 2024

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

December 17, 2024 • 10:44 AM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

December 17, 2024 • 10:47 AM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 5543 on the floor

1 Democrat
Charles E. Schumer
Sen. Charles E. SchumerD-NY · Dec 16, 2024

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 5543, introduced earlier today. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read three times and…

Bill Text

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Engrossed in SenateIssued December 16, 2024

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5543

AN ACT

To amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit consumer reporting agencies from furnishing consumer reports containing adverse items of information about a consumer that resulted from that consumer being unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or held hostage abroad.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Fair Credit for American Hostages Act.

2.

Adverse information about consumers unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or held hostage abroad

(a)

In general

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 605C the following:

605D.

Adverse information about consumers unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or held hostage abroad

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Covered consumer

The term covered consumer means an individual who has been—

(A)

a United States national unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad, as determined under section 302(a) of the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741(a)); or

(B)

a United States national taken hostage abroad, as determined by the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell established by section 304 that Act (22 U.S.C. 1741b).

(2)

Detention or hostage documentation

The term detention or hostage documentation means documentation that—

(A)

certifies a consumer is a covered consumer under this section;

(B)

identifies the time period during which the covered consumer was unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or held hostage abroad; and

(C)

is authenticated by—

(i)

the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs established by section 303 of the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741a); or

(ii)

the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell established by section 304 of that Act (22 U.S.C. 1741b).

(b)

Adverse information

If a consumer reporting agency described in section 603(p) is able to authenticate detention or hostage documentation provided by a covered consumer, the consumer reporting agency may not furnish a consumer report containing any adverse item of information about the covered consumer dating during the time period the covered consumer was unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or held hostage abroad.

.

(b)

Technical and conforming amendment

The table of contents of the Fair Credit Reporting Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 605C the following:

.

Passed the Senate December 16, 2024.

Secretary