Sheppard, Dalton, Jr., Credit Bureau Adjusters, Inc. - Spafford, John L., president, Associated Credit Bureaus; accompanied by D. Barry Connelly, vice president, public affairs/public relations, Asso- ciated Credit Bureaus; Donald W. Ogden, manager, Credit Bureau of Monroe, Wis.; John Robuck, vice president, collection division, Chilton Corp.; and James E. Sutton, Dallas, Tex., attorney for the Chilton Corp- Weisberg, Joel, director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, office of the ADDITIONAL INFORMATION American Collectors Association, statement presented on behalf by John W. Johnson, executive vice president___ "Bill Collectors Face Probe in Congress," article by Arthur Siddon, from the Chicago Tribune of March 29, 1976_. Bonded Adjustment Association final payment notice displaying em- blem of the American Collectors Association.. Ashman, Jay I., prepared statement _ _ _ Associated Credit Bureaus, statement presented on behalf by John L. Chenoweth, Sherry, transcripts of telephone conversations between- 217, 222, 225 Bad check law notice attached to letter for collections of debt... Post-dated check of October 3, 1973, with deposit date on back of Copy of complaint received by California Bureau of Collection and Investigative Services, Department of Consumer Affairs, State of Letter dated April 14, 1976, containing additional information re- A. "Code of Ethics and Operations of American Collectors 186 C. "Model Debt Collection Fair Practices Act," written by Selbo, Carl J., copies of "immediate collection" forms sent to debtors. Spafford, John L., prepared statement with attached analysis and com- Weisberg, Joel, prepared statement with attached report entitled "Debt Collection Abuses in Pennsylvania-The Need For No Threat Legisla- Chavkin, Judith B., consumer affairs coordinator, city of Alexandria, Va., 348 Hansen, Hon. George, Member of Congress from the State of Idaho, letter dated April 29, 1976, with attached comments on H.R. 10191__. Pringle, Mrs. Ina, Credit Service International, Willingboro, N.J., letter Strasma, Norman E., president, Medical-Dental-Hospital Bureaus of America (MDHBA), Chicago, Ill., letter dated April 23, 1976, with 349 THE DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 1976 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS OF THE COMMITTEE ON BANKING, CURRENCY AND HOUSING, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met at 10 a.m. in room 2128 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Frank Annunzio [chairman of the subcommittee], presiding. Present: Representatives Annunzio, Spellman, Neal, Wylie, Fenwick, and Grassley. Also present: Representative Rousselot. Mr. ANNUNZIO. The meeting of the subcommittee will come to order. This morning the Consumer Affairs Subcommittee begins its hearings on the Debt Collection Practices Act, H.R. 11969, legislation which for the first time establishes the Federal laws for businesses engaged in debt collection. The legislation also establishes civil and criminal penalties for violation of the laws. [The text of H.R. 11969 with an attached section-by-section summary follows:] 94TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 11969 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 19, 1976 Mr. ANNUNZIO (for himself, Mrs. FENWICK, Mrs. SULLIVAN, Mrs. SPELLMAN, Mr. BARRETT, Mr. GONZALEZ, and Mr. FAUNTROY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Currency and Housing A BILL To amend the Consumer Credit Protection Act to prohibit abusive practices by debt collectors. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. 3 That the Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1601 4 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end thereof the follow5 ing new title: 6 "TITLE VIII-DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES "Sec. "801. Short title. "802. Definitions and rules of construction. "803. Acquisition of location information. "804. Communication in connection with debt collection. "805. Harassment or intimidation. "806. False or misleading representation. "807. Unfair practices. "808. Recordkeeping. |