[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 11, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18157-18170]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-1780]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

32 CFR Part 232

[DOD-2006-OS-0216]
RIN 0790-AI20


Limitations on Terms of Consumer Credit Extended to Service 
Members and Dependents

AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense (the Department or DoD) proposes to 
amend our regulations by adding a new part to implement the consumer 
protections covered by Public Law 109-364, the John Warner National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, section 670, 
``Limitations on Terms of Consumer Credit Extended to Service Members 
and Dependents'' (October 17, 2006). Section 670 of Public Law 109-364 
created 10 U.S.C. 987 and requires the Secretary of Defense to 
prescribe regulations to carry out the new section. The proposed 
regulation is intended to regulate the terms of consumer credit 
extended by creditors to active duty service members and their 
dependents.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than June 11, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number and or 
Regulatory Information Number (RIN) and title, by any of the following 
methods:

--Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
--Mail: Federal Docket Management System Office, 1160 Defense Pentagon, 
Washington, DC 20301-1160.

    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number or RIN for this Federal Register document. The 
general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the 
public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the 
Internet at http://regulations.gov as they are received without change, 
including any personal identifiers or contact information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. George Schaefer, (703) 588-0876.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Today's joint force combat operations require highly trained, 
experienced and motivated troops. We are fortunate that the All 
Volunteer Force of today is comprised of individuals who fit the 
stringent requirements needed for success on the battlefield. The 
military has seen a lot of changes since it became an All Volunteer 
Force in 1973. The technological advances over the ensuing 34 years 
have made remarkable transformations to the capabilities of the Armed 
Forces.
    These advances would not have been as easily attained if it were 
not for the All Volunteer Force. The members of this force have higher 
levels of aptitude, stay in the military longer, and as a consequence, 
perform better than their conscript predecessors. During the Vietnam 
era draft, 90 percent of

[[Page 18158]]

conscripts quit after their initial two-year hitch, whereas retention 
of volunteers is five-times better today--about half remain after their 
initial (four-year) military service obligation. Said another way, two 
thirds of the military was serving in its first two years of service 
prior to 1973, where as today, the number is about one-fourth.
    Today's Service members are still younger than the population as a 
whole, with 46 percent 25 years old or less. Thirty eight percent of 
these young Service members 25 years old or less are married and 21 
percent of them have children. This is compared with approximately 13 
percent of their contemporaries in the U.S. population 18 through 24 
who are married (2000 Census). The majority of recruits come to the 
military from High School, with little financial literacy education.
    The initial indoctrination provided to Service members is critical, 
providing basic requirements for their professional responsibilities 
and to successfully adjust to military life. Part of this training is 
in personal finance which is seen as an integral part of their 
responsibilities. The Department continues to provide them messages to 
save, invest and manage their money wisely throughout their career.
    Service members and their families are experiencing the sixth year 
of the Global War on Terror. The Department views the support provided 
to military families as essential to sustaining force readiness and 
military capability. From this perspective, it is not sufficient for 
the Department to train Service members on how best to use their 
financial resources--financial protections are an important part of 
fulfilling the Department's compact with Service members and their 
families.

Social Compact

    The Department of Defense (DoD) believes that assisting Service 
members with their family needs is essential to maintaining a stable, 
motivated All Volunteer Force. As part of the President's February 2001 
call to improve the quality of life for Service members and their 
families, the Department of Defense developed a social compact 
reflecting the Department's commitment to caring for their needs as a 
result of their commitment to serving the Nation. The social compact 
involved a bottom-up review of the quality-of-life support provided by 
the Department, which articulated the linkage between quality-of-life 
programs as a human capital management tool and the strategic goal of 
the Department--military readiness.
    The social compact is manifested in the programs the Department of 
Defense provides to support the quality of life of Service members and 
their families. This social compact includes personal finances as an 
integral part of their quality of life. The Department equates 
financial readiness with mission readiness. When asked in 2005 on a 
blind survey to rate the stressors in their lives, Service members (as 
a group) rated finances as a more significant stressor than 
deployments, health concerns, life events, and personal relationships. 
They only rated work and career concerns as a higher stressor in their 
lives. As part of the social compact for financial readiness, the 
Department established a strategic plan to:
    <bullet> Reduce the stressors related to financial problems--the 
stress associated with out of control debt can impact the performance 
of Service members and have major negative impact on family quality of 
life.
    <bullet> Increase savings--establishes personal and family goals, 
motivates Service members to control their finances and live within 
their means.
    <bullet> Decrease dependence on unsecured debt--reduces the 
stressors and vulnerabilities associated with living from paycheck to 
paycheck.
    <bullet> Decrease the prevalence of predatory practices--provide 
protection from financial practices that seek to deceive Service 
members or take advantage of them at a time of vulnerability.
    The Department has taken action on obtaining these outcomes by 
providing financial awareness, education and counseling programs; by 
advocating the marketplace deliver beneficial products and services; 
and by advocating for the protection for Service members and their 
families from harmful products and practices.

Financial Education

    The Military Services are expected to provide instruction and 
information to fulfill the needs of Service members and their families. 
To this end, the Department established policy in November 2004: DoD 
Instruction 1342.27, Personal Financial Management Programs for Service 
Member.
    As outlined in the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report 
05-348, the Military Services have their own programs for training 
first-term Service members on the basics of personal finance. These 
programs vary in terms of venue and duration; however, all Military 
Service programs must cover the same core topics to the level of 
competency necessary for first term Service members to apply basic 
financial principles to everyday life situations.
    The Department has tracked the ability of Service members to pay 
their bills on time as a reflection of their competency and ability to 
apply basic financial principles. Since 2002, self reported assessments 
through survey data have shown Service members are paying better 
attention to keeping up with their monthly payments.
    To assist the Military Services in delivering financial messages, 
the Department established the Financial Readiness Campaign in May 
2003, which has gathered the support of 26 nonprofit organizations and 
Federal agencies. In the past three years, Service members have 
benefited from the materials and assistance from over 20 active 
partnerships. These partnerships are on-going and have been developed 
to allow the Military Services to choose which partner programs can 
best supplement the education, awareness and counseling services they 
provide. The materials and services are not mandatory and do not take 
the place of the programs offered by the Military Services.
    Aspects of predatory lending practices are covered as topics in 
initial financial education training and in refresher courses offered 
at the military installations. The Military Services provide over 
10,000 classes and train approximately 24 percent of the force, as well 
as nearly 20,000 family members on an annual basis. These classes are 
primarily conducted on military installations located in the United 
States.
    In addition to these classes, Financial Readiness Campaign partner 
organizations conduct over a thousand classes for informing over 60,000 
Service members and family members per year. These classes are 
primarily provided by the staff of banks and credit unions located on 
military installations (military banks and defense credit unions). 
These institutions provide these classes as part of their 
responsibilities outlined in the DoD Financial Management Regulation. 
Other organizations involved include local Credit Counseling Agencies, 
State financial regulatory agencies, the InCharge Institute and the 
NASD Foundation.
    The Military Service financial educators, along with partner 
organizations, also distributed over 200,000 brochures and pamphlets, 
with the Military Services and Federal Trade Commission the primary 
provider of these products. In addition, Military Money Magazine has 
run several

[[Page 18159]]

articles, to include two cover article editions on predatory lending. 
The free distribution of the magazine is through military commissaries, 
family support centers, other service agencies on the installation, 
residents on the military installations and home addresses off the 
installation upon request. The distribution is approximately 250,000 
per quarter.

Lending Practices Considered Predatory

    As identified in GAO Report 05-349, DOD's Tools for Curbing the Use 
and Effects of Predatory Lending Not Fully Utilized, April 2005, the 
review of practices that are considered predatory has not benefited 
from a consistent definition that has been universally applied. 
However, sources studying the issue of predatory lending have focused 
on similar characteristics. GAO Report 04-280, Federal and State 
Agencies Face Challenges in Combating Predatory Lending, January 2004, 
said the following:

    While there is no uniformly accepted definition of predatory 
lending, a number of practices are widely acknowledged to be 
predatory. These include, among other things, charging excessive 
fees and interest rates, lending without regard to borrowers' 
ability to repay, refinancing borrowers' loans repeatedly over a 
short period of time without any economic gain for the borrower, and 
committing outright fraud or deception.

    This definition has been reiterated in the FDIC Office of the 
Inspector General Audit Report 06-0111, June 2006, which stated:

    Characteristics associated with predatory lending include, but 
are not limited to (1) abusive collection actions, (2) balloon 
payments with unrealistic repayment terms, (3) equity stripping 
associated with repeat financing and excessive fees, and (4) 
excessive interest rates that may involve steering a borrower to a 
higher-cost loan.

    These same characteristics were also identified in the DoD Report 
to Congress on Predatory Lending Practices Directed at Members of the 
Armed Forces and Their Dependents, August 9, 2006:

    Predatory lending in the small loan market is generally 
considered to include one or more of the following characteristics: 
High interest rates and fees; little or no responsible underwriting; 
loan flipping or repeat renewals that ensure profit without 
significantly paying down principal; loan packing with high cost 
ancillary products whose cost is not included in computing interest 
rates; a loan structure or terms that transform these loans into the 
equivalent of highly secured transactions; fraud or deception; 
waiver of meaningful legal redress; or operation outside of state 
usury or small loan protection law or regulation. The effect of the 
practices include whether the loan terms or practices listed above 
strip earnings or savings from the borrower; place the borrower's 
key assets at undue risk; do not help the borrower resolve their 
financial shortfall; trap the borrower in a cycle of debt; and leave 
the borrower in worse financial shape than when they initially 
contacted the lender.

    While the Report to Congress provides a more expansive definition, 
there are several commonalities between the definitions listed above:
--Lending without regard of the borrowers ability to repay;
--Excessive fees and excessive interest rates;
--Balloon payments with unrealistic repayment terms;
--Wealth stripping associated with repeat rollovers/financing; and
--Fraud and deception.
    The Department started collecting information on high cost lending 
in 2004 as part of the Defense Manpower and Data Center annual surveys 
of active duty Service members. The survey requested input on payday 
loans, rent-to-own, refund anticipation loans and vehicle title loans. 
GAO Report 05-359 focused on these four practices and obtained feedback 
from ``command leaders, [Personal Financial Management] PFM program 
managers, command financial counselors, legal assistance attorneys, 
senior noncommissioned officers (pay grades E8 to E9), chaplains, and 
staff from the military relief/aid societies,'' concerning these 
practices. Input from these individuals, among others was that ``The 
extent to which active duty Service members use consumer loans 
considered to be predatory in nature and the effects of such borrowing 
are unknown, but many sources suggest that providers of such loans may 
be targeting Service members.''
    The Report to Congress reviewed five products (payday loans, 
vehicle-title loans, rent-to-own, refund anticipation loans and 
military installment loans) identified by installation-level financial 
counselors (employed as PFM program managers and employed by the 
Military Aid Societies) and legal assistance attorneys who regularly 
counsel service members on indebtedness issues. When compared against 
the common characteristics listed above, the five products reviewed in 
the Report to Congress measure up somewhat differently:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Without regard for                                       Unrealistic payment           Repeated rollover/
           Lending product             borrowers ability to repay  Excessive fees and interest            schedule                   refinancing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payday loan.........................  X                            X                            X                            X
Vehicle title loan..................  X                            X                            X                            X
Military installment................  ...........................  X                            ...........................  ...........................
Refund anticipation.................  ...........................  X                            ...........................  ...........................
Rent-to-own.........................  X                            X                            ...........................  ...........................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A major concern of the Department has been the debt trap some forms 
of credit can present for Service members and their families already 
burdened with debt and recurring bills. The combination of little to no 
regard for the borrower's ability to repay the loan, unrealistic 
payment schedule, high fees and interest and the opportunity to 
rollover the loan instead of repaying it, can create a cycle of debt 
for financially overburdened Service members and their families.
    Consumer groups, news media, and academics have chronicled concerns 
about payday loans and the propensity for this lending practice to 
create a cycle of debt. For example, M. Flannery and K. Smolyk state 
the following in their June 2005 FDIC Financial Research Working Paper 
No. 2005-09:

    Although as economists we find it hard to define what level of 
use is excessive, there seems little doubt that the payday advance 
as presently structured is unlikely to help people regain control of 
their finances if they start with serious problems.

    Likewise, vehicle title loans are similarly structured, with 
potentially similar results. According to a November 2005 report by the 
Consumer Federation of America, vehicle title loans are generally made 
for 30 days with high interest/fee structures (average of 295 APR). 
Limits on title loans vary by State concerning interest rates, 
duration, rollover allowances and rules on repossessing the vehicle. 
Only four states cap interest rates at less than 100% APR. In many 
states these loans can be rolled over by the borrower

[[Page 18160]]

several times if the borrower is unable to pay the principal and 
interest when due. If not paid or rolled over, many states allow the 
creditor to repossess the vehicle and in some states the borrower is 
not entitled to any portion of the proceeds of the vehicle sale. Loan 
amounts average 55 percent of the value of the vehicle.
    Rent-to-own, refund anticipation loans and some military 
installment loans present products with high fees and interest. Rent-
to-own, which is not covered as credit under the Truth-in-Lending Act 
(TILA), can represent an expensive alternative to credit when used as a 
means of purchasing an item. Military installment loans (an installment 
loan marketed primarily or exclusively to the military) can represent a 
high cost over the duration of the loan, particularly when other non 
TILA fees and charges are added to the interest rate. Tax refund 
anticipation loans also cost Service members and their families high 
fees when they can easily obtain rapid returns through electronic 
filing with the assistance of their installation legal assistance 
office.
    Refund anticipation loans (RALs) provide a limited time advantage 
(approximately 10 day reduction in the time required to receive a tax 
return) in comparison to the cost involved ($39-$100). As a 
consequence, the annual percentage rate for this credit can be triple 
digit. A study by Gregory Elliehausen of the Credit Research Center 
(CRC) (Monograph <greek-i>37, April 2005) showed that more individuals 
below 35 years old use RALs (61 percent) as compared to the percentage 
under 35 years old who head households (28.6 percent). Seventy nine 
percent of Service members are age 35 or below.
    The rationale for a borrower wanting to obtain a RAL vary; however, 
the CRC study showed that 41 percent of borrowers obtaining RALs did so 
to pay bills, 21 percent due to unexpected expenditures, 15 percent to 
make purchases, 15 percent because of impatience and 7 percent for 
other reasons. Less than one percent said they obtained a RAL to pay 
for tax preparation. Through the Armed Forces Tax Council, in 
collaboration with the IRS, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) 
sites are located on all active duty military installations to assist 
Service members and their families with preparation and electronic 
filing of their tax returns.
    As with other forms of short term high cost credit, the Department 
would prefer Service members and their families to consider low cost 
alternatives to resolve their financial crisis with the perspective 
that they should establish a more solid footing for their personal 
finances. The CRC study showed similar patterns of use of credit and 
debt burden between users of RALs and payday loans. Additionally, 
through education the Department attempts to persuade Service members 
that planning is an important part of managing finances, and a high 
cost 10 day loan does not reinforce this lesson.
    The five products reviewed in the Report to Congress represent two 
kinds of financial problems for Service members and their families: 
Those products that contribute to a cycle of debt (payday and vehicle 
title loans) and those products that can cost the military consumer 
high fees and interest costs (rent-to-own, installment loans and refund 
anticipation loans). Cycle of debt represents a more significant 
concern to the Department than the high cost of credit.

Alternatives

    The Department would prefer Service members and their families who 
experience financial duress seek out the alternatives available through 
Military Aid Societies, military banks and defense credit unions rather 
than credit products that would more likely mire them in a cycle of 
debt. These institutions have established programs and products 
designed to help Service members and their families resolve their 
financial crises, rebuild their credit and establish savings.
    The Military Aid Societies are strong advocates for limiting the 
cost associated with credit and for creditors to develop alternative 
products for Service members who cannot otherwise qualify for loans. 
Within their own resources they provided $87.3 million in no cost loans 
and grants to Service members and their families in 2005. These funds 
were provided for emergencies and essentials, such as rent, food, and 
utilities.
    Banks and credit unions located on military installations also 
understand the need to provide products and services that can help 
those who mishandle their finances and who may need remedial 
assistance. A review of on-base financial institutions surfaced 24 
programs on 51 military installations in the U.S. providing alternative 
small loan products designed to help Service members and their families 
to recover from their financial problems. These financial institutions 
supplement the emergency funding made available by the nonprofit 
Military Aid Societies that provide grants and no-interest loans to 
needy Service members and families.
    These banks and credit unions provide low denomination loans at 
reasonable annual percentage rates designed to assist their members who 
need to get out of high cost credit and into more traditional lending 
products. Financial counseling and education are often prerequisites 
for the short term loan and some institutions have attached a 
requirement to develop savings as part of the loan.
    Many of these military banks and credit unions use their products 
and services to maintain a watchful eye over their members to ensure 
they do not abuse services designed to assist them, such as overdraft 
protection, which if used on a chronic basis, can become very expensive 
and propel someone already overextended into a deeper spiral of debt. 
Representatives of the Association of Military Banks of America had an 
opportunity to showcase their alternative small loan products at a FDIC 
Conference held in December of 2006. FDIC hosted this conference to 
spotlight the need to develop more of these types of products for 
Service members and their families and several banks and credit unions 
described above that currently provide such favorable credit to Service 
members participated in the conference.

Efforts To Curb the Prevalence and Impact of Predatory Loans

    The Department has found that it has a small window of opportunity 
to inform and convince young Service families of what may constitute a 
beneficial product that can fit their circumstances, particularly when 
they receive many messages to the contrary. Nonetheless, the Department 
has attempted to use the processes and resources available within the 
Department to curb the prevalence of high cost short term lenders, 
particularly those that can contribute to a spiral of debt.
    Predatory lenders have seldom been placed off-limits, primarily 
because the process associated with placing commercial entities off-
limits, through the review and recommendations of the Armed Forces 
Disciplinary Control Board (AFDCB), is not well suited to this purpose. 
The AFDCB, covered by Joint Army Regulation 190-24, is designed to make 
businesses outside of military installations aware that their practices 
cause morale and discipline concerns and to offer these businesses an 
opportunity to modify their practices to preclude being placed off-
limits. When the commercial entity refuses to comply, the AFDCB 
recommends to the regional command authority to place the business off-
limits for all Service

[[Page 18161]]

members within the region (regardless of Service).
    Normally concerns are raised when a business has demonstrated 
practices that violate state or federal statute, and remediation 
involves the business curtailing these illegal practices. In the case 
of the loan products listed above, businesses usually offer their 
services within the legal limits. Since the AFDCB takes on businesses 
one at a time, bringing a lender under scrutiny has been difficult if 
the lender is complying with the same rules as its competitors. 
Additionally, the magnitude of mediating with the number of outlets 
surrounding military installations has exacerbated the process. As 
illustrated in research by Professor Steven M. Graves and Professor 
Christopher L. Peterson published in the Ohio State Law Journal, Volume 
66, Number 4, 2005, ``Predatory Lending and the Military: The Law and 
Geography of `Payday' Loans in Military Towns,'' there are large 
numbers of payday lenders which can be found in communities around 
military installations.
    Also, without appropriate authority, commanders and AFDCBs have 
difficulty citing lenders offering payday, auto title and refund 
anticipation loans as needing to take remedial action. In States that 
authorize these types of loans, AFDCBs must establish their own local 
guidelines in addition to the provisions of Federal and State law, 
ensure all affected businesses are aware of these new rules, and then 
require these businesses to comply.
    The Department has considered establishing guidelines that would 
ameliorate the concerns posed by lenders characterized above, but 
establishing these policies within DoD poses legal problems and raises 
the potential for litigation against the Department. Prior to the 
Talent-Nelson Amendment of the John Warner National Defense 
Authorization Act of 2007 (10 U.S.C. 987), there has not been any 
established authority for DoD to make rules governing credit offered by 
off-base private businesses. Commercial businesses offering these loans 
could view DoD rules as restrictions outside of the existing statutes 
and policies governing these entities and burdens provided without 
sufficient statutory authority to establish rules governing their 
businesses. Without sufficient authority, the Department would have 
difficulty making ``off limits'' declarations enforceable and could 
lead to legal action.
    As State governments have considered restricting or controlling 
payday lending, the Department has provided information concerning this 
issue and has extended its support for these measures to the extent 
that these provisions protect Service members and their families. 
Internet lenders claim jurisdiction in States with lax protections and 
unlimited rates and often attempt to bypass the State credit, usury or 
payday loan laws of the State where the borrower receives the loan. 
State regulators have successfully enforced home-State law against 
Internet payday lenders making loans to consumers in their States in 
Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and the 
District of Columbia.
    As stated above, the Department will continue to provide education, 
awareness and counseling programs to influence skills and attitudes 
towards managing personal resources wisely. There still remains a gap 
between the opportunity to influence a young Service member or family 
concerning the best way to manage their finances, and the level of 
experience and capability necessary to be successful. The Department 
has a limited opportunity to impress upon these young people the 
importance of managing their resources, and does not have sufficient 
control over the behavior of Service members and their families to 
preclude them taking on financial risks that can impact not only their 
quality of life, but also the mission performance of Service members.
    The Department will continue to send Service members messages that 
they and their families need to manage their resources wisely for their 
own benefit and to maintain personal readiness. The Department's call 
for responsibility competes with market messages from the sub-prime 
financial industry to get cash now for purchases, vacations, and paying 
bills. Their marketing stresses the ease and convenience of obtaining 
these loans, with virtual guarantee of approval. These messages can be 
particularly alluring to Service members and families already over 
burdened with bills and debts. A 2006 survey accomplished by the 
Consumer Credit Research Foundation stated that the primary reason 
Service members choose payday loans is because they are convenient. 
Certainly, obtaining ``fast cash'' from a payday lender is far more 
convenient than considering uncontrolled debt or addressing inherent 
overspending that creates situations where sub-prime loans are needed.
    Service members have inherently understood that limits on interest 
rates are appropriate, even if these limits would decrease the 
availability of credit. When asked in a 2006 survey conducted by the 
Consumer Credit Research Foundation if Service members strongly/
somewhat agree or disagree with the statement: ``The government should 
limit the interest rates that lenders can charge even if it means fewer 
people will be able to get credit,'' over 74 percent of the Service 
members surveyed agreed with the statement (with over 40 percent 
strongly agreeing). Similarly when asked their position on the 
statement ``There is too much credit available today,'' 75 percent of 
Service members not using payday loans and 63 percent of Service 
members using payday loans agreed (with 51 percent of non users 
strongly agreeing).

``Limitations on Terms of Consumer Credit Extended to Service Members 
and Dependents,'' John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2007

    After both the Congressional Banking and Armed Service Committees 
reviewed the issue of predatory lending directed at members of the 
Armed Forces and their dependents, the Armed Service Committees 
included Sec.  670 in the John Warner National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2007. The resulting statute, 10 U.S.C. 987, directs 
the Secretary of Defense to establish policy to implement the 
provisions of the statute. The Secretary is to accomplish the 
regulation prior to October 1, 2007, when the statute goes into effect, 
and to draft the regulation in consultation with the Department of 
Treasury, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Office of Thrift 
Supervision, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal 
Trade Commission, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the 
National Credit Union Administration. Specifically, section (h)(2) 
requires the Secretary of Defense to define key terms as part of 
developing the regulation:
    ``(A) Disclosures required of any creditor that extends consumer 
credit to a covered member or dependent of such a member.
    (B) The method for calculating the applicable annual percentage 
rate of interest on such obligations, in accordance with the limit 
established under this section.
    (C) A maximum allowable amount of all fees, and the types of fees, 
associated with any such extension of credit, to be expressed and 
disclosed to the borrower as a total amount and as a percentage of the 
principal amount of the obligation, at the time at which the 
transaction is entered into.

[[Page 18162]]

    (D) Definitions of `creditor' under paragraph (5) and `consumer 
credit' under paragraph (6) of subsection (i), consistent with the 
provisions of this section.
    (E) Such other criteria or limitations as the Secretary of Defense 
determines appropriate, consistent with the provisions of this 
section.''
    This broad latitude allows the Department of Defense to determine 
the scope and impact of the regulation, consistent with the provisions 
of the statute. These provisions have been established to protect 
Service members and their families from potentially abusive lending 
practices and products. The provisions, or terms, of the statute 
provide several limitations on credit transactions, and the statute 
allows the Department to focus these limitations on areas that create 
the most concern.
    Through correspondence received from numerous creditors and trade 
associations representing creditors, the Department has learned of the 
potential unintended consequences of these limitations that could 
potentially preclude Service members and their families from receiving 
a multitude of credit products not determined as harmful. These 
commenters suggested, as a simple way to limit the potential unintended 
consequences of the rule and adverse impact on the availability of 
credit for Service members by regulated depository institutions and 
their subsidiaries, that the regulations include a complete or limited 
carve-out from the ``creditor'' definition of insured depository 
institutions and their subsidiaries. As described in the section-by-
section description that follows, the Department did not specifically 
propose to exclude any types of lenders from the regulatory definition 
of ``creditor.'' The intent of the statute is clearly to apply these 
limitations so that their impact is upon credit practices evaluated as 
negative without impeding the availability of credit that is benign or 
beneficial to Service members and their families. The Department is 
proposing a regulation it believes is fully consistent with this 
intent.
    QUESTION 1: However, we seek comment on whether the final 
regulation should exclude regulated banks, credit unions and savings 
associations and their subsidiaries from coverage by the regulation 
generally, or in limited circumstances such as in the following 
circumstances: (1) the depository institutions are subject to 
supervision and regulation by a federal regulatory agency; (2) the 
institution extends covered ``consumer credit''; (3) the extension of 
consumer credit by the institution is subject to supervisory guidance 
by the federal bank regulatory agency that addresses consumer 
protection, disclosure, and safety and soundness criteria applicable to 
such lending; and (4) the federal bank regulatory agency agrees to act 
on matters referred to it by the Department concerning complaints that 
such lending to a covered member may be inconsistent with the 
supervisory guidance, applicable law, or is having an adverse effect on 
military readiness. Would depository institutions find an exclusion 
that is limited in this manner useful? The Department notes that if the 
final regulatory definition includes additional limitations on the 
definition of covered ``creditor,'' it would not be precluded from 
expanding that definition in the future as appropriate to address new 
concerns or changed circumstances.

II. Description of the Regulation, By Section:

    232.1 and 232.2, Authority, purpose and coverage, and 
Applicability: No further descriptions provided other than that 
contained in the regulation.
    232.3, Definitions:
    In drafting a regulation to implement the statute, the Department 
has chosen to use the opportunity to define the terms ``creditor'' and 
``consumer credit'' judiciously, having heard from numerous groups 
through comments received in response to Federal Register notice DoD-
2006-OS-0216, solicited and unsolicited comments and through meetings 
requested of the Department that applying the provision broadly would 
create numerous unintended consequences. These unintended consequences 
would have a ``chilling effect'' on the availability of consumer credit 
covered as part of the statute.
    In defining the term creditor, the statute provides the following:
    ``(5) CREDITOR.--The term `creditor' means a person--
    (A) who--
    (i) is engaged in the business of extending consumer credit; and
    (ii) meets such additional criteria as are specified for such 
purpose in regulations prescribed under this section; or
    (B) who is an assignee of a person described in subparagraph (A) 
with respect to any consumer credit extended.''
    Consistent with the statute, the proposed regulation defines 
``creditor'' as any person who extends consumer credit covered by part 
232. For this purpose a ``person'' includes both natural persons as 
well as business entities, but would exclude governmental entities. 
Pursuant to the Department's authority to specify additional criteria, 
a person would be a creditor only if the person is also a ``creditor'' 
for purposes of the Truth in Lending Act. For clarity, the Department 
has implemented the provision covering assignees by including a 
specific reference to assignees in each section of the regulation that 
would apply to an assignee, in lieu of including assignees in the 
definition of ``creditor.'' See sections 232.4, 232.8 and 232.9.
    The definition of consumer credit provided in the statute is as 
follows:
    ``(6) CONSUMER CREDIT.--The term `consumer credit' has the meaning 
provided for such term in regulations prescribed under this section, 
except that such term does not include (A) a residential mortgage, or 
(B) a loan procured in the course of purchasing a car or other personal 
property, when that loan is offered for the express purpose of 
financing the purchase and is secured by the car or personal property 
procured.''
    This proposed regulation seeks to address the concerns addressed by 
many institutions and associations that corresponded with the 
Department by limiting the scope of the products upon which the 
provisions of the statute would apply. It is clearly the intent of the 
statute that consumer credit be defined by the Department, as long as 
it does not include the two listed exemptions. The definition in this 
proposed regulation clearly excludes these two types of loans and 
focuses on three problematic credit products that the Department 
identified in its August 2006 Report to Congress on the Impact of 
Predatory Lending Practices on Members of the Armed Forces and Their 
Dependents: payday loans, vehicle title loans, and refund anticipation 
loans.
    With respect to exclusion of ``residential mortgages'' the proposed 
regulation clarifies that the exclusion applies to any credit 
transaction secured by an interest in the borrower's dwelling. Thus, 
home-purchase transactions, refinancings, home-equity loans, and 
reverse mortgages would be excluded. Home equity lines of credit are 
also excluded. In addition, the property need not be the consumer's 
primary dwelling to qualify for the exclusion. A ``dwelling'' includes 
any residential structure containing one to four units, whether or not 
the structure is attached to real property, and would also include an 
individual condominium unit, cooperative unit, mobile home, and 
manufactured home.
    The Department's proposed definition of the term ``consumer 
credit'' is intended to narrow the regulation's

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impact to consumer credit products and services that are potentially 
detrimental and for which there are DoD-recommended, alternative 
products or services available to Service members and their families. 
DoD believes that a narrow definition can prevent unintended 
consequences while affording the protections granted by the statute.
    In addition to the above criteria, the Department intends to use 
the definition of consumer credit to encourage the financial services 
industry to offer affordable small loans for Service members and their 
families.

Payday Loans

    Payday loans have common characteristics that make them detrimental 
to a Service member's financial well being and inferior to alternative 
sources of emergency support. These characteristics can exacerbate a 
cycle of debt, particularly if the borrower is already over-extended 
through the use of other forms of credit. The proposed regulation 
defines ``Payday loans'' based on certain characteristics, in order to 
distinguish them from other financial products. A payday loan is 
defined as a closed-end credit transactions having a term of 91 days or 
less, where the amount financed does not exceed $2,000. The ``amount 
financed'' is not defined in this regulation, but must be determined 
based on the definition of that term in the Federal Reserve Board's 
Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act. In addition, 
the definition of ``payday loan'' is limited to transactions where the 
borrower contemporaneously provides a check or other payment instrument 
that the creditor agrees to hold, or where the borrower 
contemporaneously authorizes the creditor to initiate a debit or debits 
to the covered borrower's deposit account.
    Payday loans, otherwise known as deferred presentment loans, are 
allowed in 39 States as a separate credit product from other forms of 
credit regulated by Federal or State statute. States authorizing these 
types of loans require payday lenders to obtain a license to operate 
within the State. States have defined these products and services, 
primarily through the basic process used to secure a payday loan, 
either through holding a check or by obtaining access to a bank account 
through electronic means. These basic processes have been included as 
part of the definition of payday loans in the regulation (Section 
232.3(c)). Many States have also established limits to the amount that 
can be borrowed and the duration of the loan as part of the authorized 
activities of lenders licensed to offer these products and services. A 
review of State limits for payday loans establishes a foundation for 
the definition used in this regulation.
    The majority of States have a maximum dollar amount, maximum time 
limits and maximum fees that regulate the product. Six States (New 
Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming) have no dollar 
limit on the amount that can be loaned, and nine States (Alaska, 
Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, 
Wisconsin and Wyoming) have no maximum limit established for the 
duration of a payday loan. Of the States with dollar and duration 
limits, the maximum amount loaned is $1,000 (Idaho and Illinois) and 
the maximum duration of a loan is 180 days (Ohio). The average dollar 
limit is $519 and the average duration limit is 46 days.
    Payday loans offered over the internet often originate in States 
with no limits on fees or maximum loan amounts. A survey of Web sites 
offering payday loans indicates $1,500 as generally the maximum amount 
loaned. A review of sites marketing ``Military Payday Loans'' refer to 
loans of up to 40 percent of a Service member's take home pay. This 
amount can vary considerably based on rank, other entitlements, tax 
withheld and military allotments. For married enlisted Service members 
in the grade of E-6 and below (no deductions for taxes or other 
allotments), the proposed limit would cover a loan made for 40 percent 
of take home pay. The limits established in the definition for payday 
loans reflect the maximum duration and amount anticipated for loans 
based on current State practices, to include internet payday loans 
originating from locations without limits. QUESTION 2: The Department 
seeks comments concerning whether the duration limit and monetary limit 
on the amount of the loan included in the definition of payday lending 
creates any unintended consequences for other credit products.
    The definition provided in 232.3(b)(1)(A)(ii) includes the 
following statement: ``This provision does not apply to any right of a 
depository institution under statute or common law to offset 
indebtedness against funds on deposit in the event of the covered 
borrower's delinquency or default.'' This exemption only applies if the 
depository institution has a right of offset under State or other 
applicable law.
    As previously stated, the Department's intention is that the 
definition of payday loans does not impede creditors providing 
alternatives to payday loans with high fees. The Department's August 
2006 report to the Congress describes a variety of affordable credit 
products that banks and credit unions located on military installations 
offer to members of the armed services. Such loans generally had annual 
percentage rates (APRs) for Truth in Lending Act purposes of 18% or 
less. Because the loans may be for a small dollar amount, any flat fee 
charged by the lender in connection with originating the loan could 
cause the Military Annual Percentage Rate (MAPR), defined by the 
proposed regulation, to exceed 36% even though the interest rate may be 
much lower.

Vehicle Title Loans

    The Department believes that vehicle title loans meet the proposed 
definition of consumer credit, and that subjecting them to the proposed 
rule is consistent with the Department's intent in developing the 
regulation. The definition for ``vehicle title loans'' limits the 
rule's coverage to loans of 180 days or less. Many States have not 
established statutes overseeing these loans. A 2005 survey of States 
conducted by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) found that, of 
the 16 States authorizing vehicle-title lending, 10 require 30 day or 
one month term limits (with authorized renewals or extensions), one 
State allows up to 60 days (with 6 renewals), one State requires 
installments and four States do not establish term limits. QUESTION 3: 
The Department seeks comments as to whether the limits established for 
vehicle title loans for duration of the loan included as part of the 
definition cause any unintended consequences for other credit products.

Refund Anticipation Loans

    The Department believes that covering RALs is consistent with the 
intent of the Department's proposed regulation. RALs can also be 
defined to limit unintended consequences and refunds can be provided 
expeditiously. There have been only a few States that have developed 
statutes concerning RALs. Connecticut is the only state that has 
established a rate cap, and prohibit transactions where the APR exceeds 
60 percent. Other states, such as California, Washington, Oregon and 
Nevada have established statutes specifying disclosure requirements for 
RALs.
    The Department is interested in ensuring that lenders continue to 
offer responsible, small-dollar loan products that meet the credit 
needs of service members and their families. QUESTION 4: Accordingly, 
the Department solicits comments on regulatory approaches

[[Page 18164]]

that would encourage creditors to offer affordable, small-dollar, 
short-term loans to Service members and their dependents. For example, 
should transactions that would otherwise be covered as payday loans be 
exempt from coverage under these rules if the MAPR is less than 24% 
MAPR or some other rate specified in the rules? Would a similar rule be 
appropriate for vehicle-title loans or tax refund anticipation loans? 
Are there other approaches that DoD should consider?
    The definition of MAPR creates a distinctive percentage rate that 
reflects the provisions of the statute. The MAPR does not include fees 
imposed for unanticipated late payments, default, delinquency or a 
similar occurrence, because such fees are imposed as a result of 
contingent events that may occur after the loan is consummated. Thus, 
such fees are not included in the computation of the maximum 36% MAPR 
cap imposed by these rules. QUESTION 5: The Department solicits comment 
on whether there are other fees that should be expressly excluded for 
the same reason.
    232.4, Terms of consumer credit extended to covered borrowers: This 
section implements the statutory prohibition limiting the amount that 
creditors may charge for extensions of consumer credit to covered 
borrowers. The proposed rule mirrors the statutory language. This 
section also applies to ``assignees'' consistent with the statutory 
definition of ``creditor.''
    232.5, Identification of covered borrower:
    The Department has received several comments expressing concern 
over the potential difficulty in identifying a covered borrower, 
particularly in light of the penalties for failing to provide the 
statutory protections to a covered borrower. While DoD recognizes this 
concern, the Department would emphasize that identifying the covered 
borrower is only relevant in the context of transactions defined by the 
regulation as consumer credit (for payday loans, vehicle title loans 
and refund anticipation loans).
    The Department's intent is to balance protections for covered 
borrowers (according to the statute) and protections for creditors. The 
Department understands creditors may otherwise decline offering 
beneficial credit products to covered borrowers as a result of concerns 
over penalties. To achieve an appropriate balance, the Department has 
proposed a safe harbor, under which the creditor may require the 
applicant to sign a statement declaring whether or not he or she is a 
covered borrower (using the definition from the statute). If required 
by the creditor, this declaration provides a ``safe harbor'' for the 
creditor to prevent inadvertently violating the statute by failing to 
recognize a covered borrower.
    There is one caveat to this ``safe harbor'' provision. If the loan 
applicant signs a declaration that denies being a covered borrower, but 
the creditor obtains documentation as part of the credit transaction 
reflecting that the applicant is a covered borrower (such as, a current 
military leave and earning statement as proof of employment, or a tax 
filing that takes advantage of a specific tax provision designed to 
benefit the military), the applicant's declaration would not create a 
safe harbor for the creditor. In such cases creditors should seek to 
resolve the inconsistency, but if they are unable to do so, they may 
avoid any risk of noncompliance by treating the applicant as a covered 
borrower based on the documentation or by declining to extend credit 
due to the inability to verify information provided in the borrower's 
signed declaration.
    This caveat is being included to prevent creditors from using the 
declaration to allow covered borrowers to waive their right to the 
protections provided by the regulation. This may occur when the 
creditor recognizes the applicant is a covered borrower, as a result of 
the documents presented as part of the credit transaction. The intent 
of this caveat is not to hold the creditor accountable for false 
statements made by an applicant when there is no indication through the 
credit transaction that the applicant is a covered borrower.
    The opposite situation, where an applicant claims to be a covered 
borrower without presenting proof of his or her status does not require 
further validation by the creditor. However, creditors have the option 
of verifying the applicant's status as a covered borrower using several 
sources of information, but they are not required to do so. Thus, 
creditors may request applicants to provide proof of their current 
employment and income, for example by requesting from service members a 
copy of the most recent month's military leave and earning statement. 
Creditors may also request service members or dependents to provide a 
copy of their military identification card.
    These sources, however, might not always be determinative. For 
example, in some a cases a leave and earnings statement might not 
reflect a recent change in the applicant's active duty status. Military 
identification cards, that are the same as identification cards carried 
by members of the active component, are issued to members of the 
National Guard and the Reserve regardless of their duty status. Hence, 
the proposed regulation states ``[u]pon such request, activated members 
of the National Guard or Reserves shall also provide a copy of the 
military orders calling the covered member to military service and any 
orders further extending military service.'' This would also be the 
case for their dependents. The proposed rule does not provide a safe 
harbor to creditors in the situation described in this paragraph.
    It is the Department's understanding that providing proof of 
employment is a prerequisite to receiving a payday loan or a vehicle 
title loan. The military leave and earning statement is the document 
that provides validation of employment. There are several tax 
provisions which are directed toward assisting the military. If the tax 
preparer includes these provisions as part of the tax return, the 
creditor should be made aware of this disclosure in order to validate 
the status of the applicant prior to processing the application for a 
refund anticipation loan. QUESTION 6: The Department would like 
feedback on the creditor's involvement in tax filing aspects of a 
refund anticipation loan.
    The Department intends to provide access to a database to creditors 
to validate the status of an applicant. This arrangement is currently 
available to creditors to validate the active duty status of Service 
members as part of implementation of benefits authorized by the Service 
Members Civil Relief Act (https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/scra/owa/home). The 
proposed database will include the status of covered borrowers and can 
be used to resolve questions creditors may have about the status of an 
applicant who denies being a covered member and yet presents 
information during the credit transaction that is contrary to this 
declaration. In these situations, the database would provide the most 
accurate verification of the status of the applicant, to include 
activated members of the National Guard and Reserve and their 
dependents.
    QUESTION 7: Since this issue is critical to the success of the 
regulation, and also protecting the reputation of the creditor, the 
Department solicits further comment on the proposed ``safe harbor'' 
concept and the methodology proposed to implement the intended balance 
in approach to identification.
    232.6, Mandatory disclosures:
    Section 232.6 describes the disclosures that must be provided to 
covered borrowers before they become obligated on a consumer credit 
transaction, which includes the new

[[Page 18165]]

disclosures established under 10 U.S.C. 987 but also includes 
disclosures that creditors are already required to provide pursuant to 
the Federal Reserve Board's Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in 
Lending Act (TILA). Regulation Z contains certain requirements 
pertaining to the format of the TILA disclosures for closed-end credit 
transactions, including a requirement that they ``shall be grouped 
together, shall be segregated from everything else, and shall not 
contain any information not directly related'' to the disclosures 
required under Regulation Z. The Department intends that the 
disclosures required under this proposal be provided consistent with 
the format requirements of Regulation Z. Accordingly, the covered 
borrower identification statement described in Sec.  232.5 and the 
disclosures provided pursuant to Sec.  232.6(a)(1), (3), and (4) should 
not be interspersed with the TILA disclosures.
    The general rule is that disclosures required by Sec.  232.6(a)(1), 
(3), and (4) must be provided orally as well as in writing. However, in 
credit transactions entered into by mail or on the internet, a creditor 
complies with this requirement if the creditor provides covered 
borrowers with a toll-free telephone number on or with the written 
disclosures and the creditor provides oral disclosures when the covered 
borrower contacts the creditor for this purpose.
    As with identification of the covered borrower, the Department has 
received several comments about potential disparities in disclosures 
required by this regulation as opposed to TILA, as well as the 
difficulty of potentially presenting disclosures orally under part 232 
when an offer is made through the mail or over the internet. QUESTION 
8: The Department requests comment on whether the proposed rule for 
providing certain disclosures orally adequately addresses the 
compliance difficulties associated with the statutory requirements for 
oral disclosures, or whether another approach is more appropriate.
    As with other aspects of the statute, the Department's intention 
has been to develop a regulation that is true to the intent of the 
statute without creating a system that is so burdensome that the 
creditor cannot comply. The Department also recognizes the potential 
confusion inherent in mandating the disclosure of two annual percentage 
rates (the MAPR required by this regulation and the APR required by 
TILA). QUESTION 9: DoD therefore seeks comments on this proposed 
requirement and invites suggestions on alternative approaches.
    232.7, Preemption: The proposed regulation would implement the 
statutory provision. Although revisions have been made to the statutory 
language for clarity, no substantive change is intended.
    232.8, Limitations:
    Section 232.8(a) implements the statutory provision in 10 U.S.C. 
987(e)(1), which prohibits a creditor from extending consumer credit to 
a covered borrower in order to roll over, renew, or refinance consumer 
credit that was previously extended by the same creditor to the same 
covered borrower. The proposed regulation includes a limited exception 
to this prohibition, however, to permit workout loans and other 
refinancings that may benefit the borrower. QUESTION 10: The Department 
solicits comment on whether it can or should adopt this approach.
    QUESTION 11: Assuming the final rule permits a creditor to roll 
over, renew or refinance credit that it previously extended to the same 
covered borrower in limited circumstances, the Department solicits 
comment on whether it can and should also adopt a rule clarifying that 
refinancings or renewals of a covered loan require new disclosures 
under Sec.  232.6 only when the transaction would also be considered a 
new transaction that requires Truth in Lending Act disclosures. Whether 
or not new disclosures are required, the Department believes that when 
a creditor refinances or renews credit that it extended to a covered 
borrower the limitations on rates and terms apply in the same manner as 
they would for the original consumer credit transaction.
    In some cases, a consumer might become a covered borrower after 
obtaining consumer credit. When consumers request to refinance or renew 
a short-term loan, creditors are likely to rely on their original 
determination that the consumer is not a covered borrower. The 
Department believes that it would be unnecessarily burdensome to impose 
a duty on creditors to make a new determination in each transaction 
given that a change in the borrower's status will infrequently occur 
with short-term transactions. Accordingly, the proposed rule would not 
apply when the same creditor extends consumer credit to a covered 
borrower to refinance or renew an extension of credit that was not 
covered by Part 232 because the consumer was not a covered borrower at 
the time of the original transaction.
    QUESTION 12: The Department solicits comment on this approach. If 
such transactions were to be covered, however, should the disclosures 
in Sec.  232.6 only be required for transactions also deemed to be 
transactions requiring new disclosures under the Truth in Lending Act?
    Subparagraph (a)(3) makes it unlawful for any creditor to extend 
consumer credit to a covered borrower if the ``creditor requires the 
covered borrower to submit to arbitration or imposes other onerous 
legal notice provisions.'' The requirement is in accordance with 10 
U.S.C. 987(e)(3). QUESTION 13: The Department does not have the 
specific notice provisions or examples to include with this regulation 
and requests feedback on particular legal notice provisions that should 
be considered onerous.
    Similarly, subparagraph (a)(4) makes it unlawful for any creditor 
to extend consumer credit to a covered borrower if the ``creditor 
demands unreasonable notice from the covered borrower as a condition 
for legal action.'' This requirement is in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 
987(e)(4), and as with onerous legal notice provisions, the Department 
does not have specific unreasonable notices or examples to include in 
the regulation. QUESTION 14: Feedback is also requested on this 
provision and particular notice requirements that should be considered 
unreasonable.
    Section 232.8(a)(5) provides an exemptions to creditors, with 
respect to consumer credit, to use electronic fund transfer to repay a 
consumer credit, require direct deposit of the consumer's salary as a 
condition of eligibility for consumer credit, or take a security 
interest in funds deposited after the extension of credit in an account 
established in connection with the consumer credit transactions that 
are below 36% MAPR. This exemption is made with the recognition that 
this exemption must be provided in compliance with other applicable 
statutes governing the use of electronic fund transfers, savings and 
direct deposit of consumer's salary. The Department believes the 
flexibility provided by the 10 U.S.C. 987(h)(2)(E) may allow the 
Department the authority to provide this exemption to facilitate 
creditors to make alternative loans designed to assist covered 
borrowers with financial recovery. The Department believes providing 
this opportunity is important in fulfilling the Department's intended 
purpose of encouraging creditors to provide alternative loan products. 
QUESTION 15: The Department solicits comments on whether it can or 
should adopt this proposed exemption.
    Section 8(a)(7) prohibits creditors from charging a prepayment 
penalty to

[[Page 18166]]

covered borrowers. The proposed rule does not define what constitutes a 
prepayment penalty, and the Department expects creditors to rely on 
existing state and federal laws, as applicable. QUESTION 16: Comment is 
specifically solicited on this approach.
    232.9, Penalties and remedies:
    This provision incorporates the penalties and enforcement 
provisions contained in the statute. Section 9 provides, among other 
things, that any credit agreement subject to the regulation which fails 
to comply with this regulation is void from inception. It further 
provides that a creditor or assignee who knowingly violates the 
regulation shall be subject to certain criminal penalties.
    The statute, however, does not provide explicitly for enforcement 
of these rules beyond the provisions described above. The Department 
understands that the federal bank, thrift and credit union regulatory 
agencies have authority--derived from federal law unique to federally-
regulated depository institutions--to enforce these rules with respect 
to the institutions that they supervise. However, the Department notes 
that this authority extends to a narrow category of depository 
institutions that it proposes to cover as ``creditors'' (See Question 1 
above), but it does not extend to other creditors, such as nonbank 
lenders, that would also be covered creditors and that may be most 
likely to provide the types of consumer credit restricted by these 
rules. The Department is concerned that reliance solely on private 
litigation or criminal prosecution with respect to these other 
creditors may be insufficient to ensure uniform compliance with these 
rules with respect to all creditors. QUESTION 17: Comment is requested 
on all aspects of these issues, and on how to ensure uniform 
implementation of, and compliance with, the statute by creditors not 
subject to oversight by the federal bank, thrift, and credit union 
regulatory agencies.
    232.10, Effective date and transition:
    The comment period for this proposal is 60 days. The Department 
intends to review the comments in a timely manner in order to propose 
and publish final rules on or before September 1, 2007, which is 30 
days before the rules would become effective on October 1, 2007. 
QUESTION 18: Comment is solicited on the proposed timing for the 
publication of final rules. In particular, the Department requests 
comment on the ability of covered creditors to comply with the proposed 
rules by October 1 in light of the specific credit products that would 
be covered by the rules.

Statutory Certification

Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review''

    It has been determined that 32 CFR part 232 is not an economically 
significant regulatory action. The rule does not:
    (1) Have an annual effect to the economy of $100 million or more or 
adversely affect in a material way the economy; a section of the 
economy; productivity; competition; jobs; the environment; public 
health or safety; or State, local, or tribal governments or 
communities;
    (2) Create a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an 
action taken or planned by another Agency;
    (3) Materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlements, grants, 
user fees, or loan programs, or the rights and obligations of 
recipients thereof; or
    (4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal 
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles set forth in 
this Executive Order.
    Nevertheless, the proposed regulation was submitted to the Office 
of Management and Budget for review under other provisions of Executive 
Order 12866 as a significant regulatory action.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (Sec. 202, Pub. L. 104-4)

    It has been certified that this rule does not contain a Federal 
mandate that may result in the expenditure by State, local and tribal 
governments, in aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 million or 
more in any one year.

Public Law 96-354, ``Regulatory Flexibility Act'' (5 U.S.C. 601)

    It has been certified that this rule is not subject to the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601) because it would not, if 
promulgated, have a significant economic impact on a substantial number 
of small entities. The North American Industrial Classification (NAIC) 
for the impacted businesses is 522390--``other financial activities 
related to credit intermediation.'' According to the 2002 Economic 
Census, there are approximately 5,205 small businesses related to this 
classification, with 3,000 of these small businesses having less than 5 
employees. These 5,205 businesses represent a portion of the 51,725 
potential respondents cited in the Paperwork Reduction Act evaluation.
    The limitations and disclosures posed by this part impact a small 
percentage of the market served by the industries covered by this part. 
For example according to the payday lending trade association, Service 
members and their dependents represent approximately 1-2 percent of the 
payday lending market. Thus there is not a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities.

Public Law 96-511, ``Paperwork Reduction Act'' (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35)

    Section 232.6 of this proposed rule contains information collection 
requirements. DoD has submitted the following proposal to OMB under the 
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). 
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
DoD, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) 
the accuracy of the estimate of the burden of the proposed information 
collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
the information collection on respondents, including the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Title: Mandatory Loan Disclosures as Part of Limitations on Terms 
of Consumer Credit Extended to Service Members and Their Dependents.
    Type of Request: New requirement.
    Number of Respondents: 51,725.
    Responses per Respondent: 1 per respondent.
    Annual Responses: 1,219,035.
    Average Burden per Response: 2-2.5 minutes, plus one business day 
to revise processes and two business days to revise applicable Web 
sites.
    Annual Burden Hours: 182,105.
    Needs and Uses: With respect to any extension of consumer credit 
(including any consumer credit originated or extended through the 
Internet) to a covered borrower, a creditor shall provide to the member 
or dependent the following information clearly and conspicuously before 
consummation of the consumer credit transaction:
    (1) The Military Annual Percentage Rate (MAPR) applicable to the 
extension of consumer credit, and the total dollar amount of all 
charges included in the MAPR.
    (3) A clear description of the payment obligation of the covered 
member or dependent, as applicable. A payment schedule provided 
pursuant to subsection (2) satisfies this requirement.
    (4) A statement that ``Federal law provides important protections 
to active duty members of the Armed Forces and their dependents. 
Members of the Armed Forces and their dependents may be able to obtain 
financial

[[Page 18167]]

assistance from Army Emergency Relief, Navy and Marine Corps Relief 
Society, the Air Force Aid Society, or Coast Guard Mutual Aid. Members 
of the Armed Forces and their family members may request free legal 
advice regarding an application for credit from a service legal 
assistance office or financial counseling from a consumer credit 
counselor.''
    The creditor shall provide the disclosures in writing in a form the 
covered borrower can keep. The creditor also shall provide the required 
disclosures orally. In mail and internet transactions, the creditor 
satisfies this requirement by providing a toll-free telephone number on 
or with the written disclosures that consumers may use to obtain oral 
disclosures.
    Affected Public: Creditors making payday loans, vehicle title loans 
and refund anticipation loans.
    Frequency: One for each loan transaction, which is equal to an 
occasional frequency .
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Written comments and recommendations on the proposed information 
collection should be sent to the Office of Management and Budget, Desk 
Officer for the Department of Defense, Room 10235, New Executive Office 
Building, Washington, DC 20503, fax number: (202) 395-6974 with a copy 
to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and 
Readiness (MC&FP), DoD State Liaison Office, Attn: Mr. George Schaefer, 
4000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-4000, telephone (703) 588-
0876. Comments can be received from 30 to 60 days after the date of 
this notice, but comments to OMB will be most useful if received by OMB 
within 30 days after the date of this notice.
    You may also submit comments, identified by docket number and 
title, by the following method:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency 
name, docket number and title for this Federal Register document. The 
general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the 
public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the 
Internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without 
change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.
    To request more information on this proposed information collection 
or to obtain a copy of the proposal and associated collection 
instruments, please write to the Office of the Office of the Under 
Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (MC&FP), DoD State 
Liaison Office, Attn: Mr. George Schaefer, 4000 Defense Pentagon, 
Washington, DC 20301-4000, or telephone Mr. Schaefer at (703) 588-0876.

Executive Order 13132 Federalism

    Executive Order 13132 requires that Executive departments and 
agencies identify regulatory actions that have significant federalism 
implications. A regulation has federalism implications if it has 
substantial direct effects on the States, on the relationship or 
distribution of power between the Federal Government and the States, or 
on the distribution of power and responsibilities among various levels 
of government.
    The provisions of this part, as required by 10 U.S.C. 987, 
overrides State statutes inconsistent with this part to the extent that 
these provisions provide different protections for covered borrowers 
than those provided to residents of that State. As discussed in the 
section-by-section description of the proposed part, the provisions are 
more stringent for creditors providing consumer credit to covered 
borrowers (as defined in the part). In such circumstances, State laws 
would not be preempted by operation of this part.
    In this respect, this proposed part, if adopted, would not affect 
in any manner the powers and authorities that any State may have or 
affect the distribution of power and responsibilities between Federal 
and State levels of government. Therefore, the Department has 
determined that the proposed part has no federalism implications that 
warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment in accordance with 
Executive Order 13132.

List of Subjects in 32 CFR Part 232

    Loan programs, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Service 
members.
    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, chapter I of title 32, 
Code of Federal Regulations is proposed to amended by adding part 232 
to read as follows:

PART 232--LIMITATIONS ON TERMS OF CONSUMER CREDIT EXTENDED TO 
SERVICE MEMBERS AND DEPENDENTS

Sec.
232.1 Authority, purpose, and coverage.
232.2 Applicability.
232.3 Definitions.
232.4 Terms of consumer credit extended to covered borrowers.
232.5 Identification of covered borrower.
232.6 Mandatory loan disclosures.
232.7 Preemption.
232.8 Limitations.
232.9 Penalties and remedies.
232.10 Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protections unaffected.
232.11 Effective date and transition.

    Authority: 10 U.S.C. 987.


Sec.  232.1  Authority, purpose, and coverage.

    (a) Authority. This part is issued by the Department of Defense to 
implement 10 U.S.C. 987.
    (b) Purpose. The purpose of this part is to impose limitations on 
the cost and terms of certain defined extensions of consumer credit to 
Service members and their dependents, and to provide additional 
consumer disclosures for such transactions.
    (c) Coverage. This part defines the types of consumer credit 
transactions, creditors, and borrowers covered by this part, consistent 
with the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 987. In addition, this part:
    (1) Provides the maximum allowable amount of all charges, and the 
types of charges, that may be associated with a covered extension of 
consumer credit;
    (2) Requires creditors to disclose to covered borrowers the cost of 
the transaction as a total dollar amount and as an annualized 
percentage rate referred to as the Military Annual Percentage Rate or 
MAPR, which must be disclosed before the borrower becomes obligated on 
the transaction. The disclosures required by this regulation differ 
from and are in addition to the disclosures that must be provided to 
consumers under the Federal Truth in Lending Act;
    (3) Provides for the method creditors shall use in calculating the 
MAPR, and;
    (4) Contains such other criteria and limitations as the Secretary 
of Defense has determined appropriate, consistent with the provisions 
of 10 U.S.C. 987.


Sec.  232.2  Applicability.

    This part applies to consumer credit extended by creditors to a 
covered borrower, as those terms are defined in this part.


Sec.  232.3  Definitions.

    Terms used in this part are defined as follows:
    (a) Closed-end credit means consumer credit other than ``open-end 
credit'' as that term is defined in Regulation Z (Truth in Lending), 12 
CFR Part 226.
    (b) Consumer credit means credit offered or extended to a covered 
borrower primarily for personal, family or household purposes, as 
described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

[[Page 18168]]

    (1) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, 
consumer credit means the following transactions:
    (i) Payday loans. Closed-end credit with a term of 91 days or less 
in which the amount financed does not exceed $2,000 and the covered 
borrower:
    (A) Receives funds from and incurs interest and/or is charged a fee 
by a creditor, and contemporaneously provides a check or other payment 
instrument to the creditor who agrees with the covered borrower not to 
deposit or present the check or payment instrument for more than one 
day, or;
    (B) Receives funds from and incurs interest and/or is charged a fee 
by a creditor, and contemporaneously authorizes the creditor to 
initiate a debit or debits to the covered borrower's deposit account 
(by electronic fund transfer or remotely created check) after one or 
more days. This provision does not apply to any right of a depository 
institution under statute or common law to offset indebtedness against 
funds on deposit in the event of the covered borrower's delinquency or 
default.
    (ii) Vehicle title loans. Closed-end credit with a term of 181 days 
or less that is secured by the title to a motor vehicle owned by a 
covered borrower, other than a purchase money transaction described in 
paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section;
    (iii) Tax refund anticipation loans. Closed-end credit in which the 
covered borrower expressly grants the creditor the right to receive all 
or part of the borrower's income tax refund or agrees to repay the loan 
with the proceeds of the borrower's refund.
    (2) For purposes of this part, consumer credit does not mean:
    (i) Residential mortgages, which are any credit transactions 
secured by an interest in the covered borrower's dwelling, including 
transactions to finance the purchase or initial construction of a 
dwelling, refinance transactions, home equity loans or lines of credit, 
and reverse mortgages;
    (ii) Any credit transaction to finance the purchase or lease of a 
motor vehicle when the credit is secured by the property being 
purchased or leased;
    (iii) Any credit transaction to finance the purchase of personal 
property other than a motor vehicle when the credit is secured by the 
property being purchased; and
    (iv) Any other credit transaction that is not consumer credit 
extended by a creditor, is an exempt transaction, or is not otherwise 
subject to disclosure requirements for purposes of Regulation Z (Truth 
in Lending), 12 CFR Part 226.
    (v) Credit secured by a qualified retirement account as defined in 
the Internal Revenue Code.
    (c) Covered borrower means a person with the following status at 
the time he or she becomes obligated on a consumer credit transaction 
covered by this part:
    (1) A regular or reserve member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, 
Air Force, or Coast Guard, serving on active duty under a call or order 
that does not specify a period of 30 days or less, or such a member 
serving on Active Guard and Reserve duty as that term is defined in 10 
U.S.C. 101(d)(6), or
    (2) The member's spouse, the member's child defined in 38 U.S.C. 
101(4), or an individual for whom the member provided more than one-
half of the individual's support for 180 days immediately preceding an 
extension of consumer credit covered by this part.
    (d) Credit means the right granted by a creditor to a debtor to 
defer payment of debt or to incur debt and defer its payment.
    (e) Creditor means a person who is engaged in the business of 
extending consumer credit with respect to a consumer credit transaction 
covered by this part. For the purposes of this section, ``person'' 
includes a natural person, organization, corporation, partnership, 
proprietorship, association, cooperation, estate, trust, and any other 
business entity and who otherwise meets the definition of ``creditor'' 
for purposes of Regulation Z.
    (f) Dwelling means a residential structure that contains one to 
four units, whether or not the structure is attached to real property. 
The term includes an individual condominium unit, cooperative unit, 
mobile home, and manufactured home.
    (g) Electronic fund transfer (EFT) has the same meaning for 
purposes of this part as in Regulation E (Electronic Fund Transfers) 
issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 12 CFR 
Part 205.
    (h) Military annual percentage rate (MAPR). The MAPR is the cost of 
the consumer credit transaction expressed as an annual rate. The MAPR 
includes the following cost elements associated with the extension of 
consumer credit to a covered borrower if they are financed, deducted 
from the proceeds of the consumer credit, or otherwise required to be 
paid as a condition of the credit: interest, fees, credit service 
charges, credit renewal charges, credit insurance premiums including 
charges for single premium credit insurance, fees for debt cancellation 
or debt suspension agreements, and fees for credit-related ancillary 
products sold in connection with and either at or before consummation 
of the credit transaction. The MAPR does not include a fee imposed for 
actual unanticipated late payments, default, delinquency, or similar 
occurrence. The MAPR does not include tax return preparation fees 
associated with a refund anticipation loan, whether or not the fees are 
deducted from the loan proceeds. The MAPR shall be calculated based on 
the costs in this definition but in all other respects it shall be 
calculated and disclosed following the rules used for calculating the 
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for closed-end credit transactions under 
Regulation Z (Truth in Lending), 12 CFR Part 226.
    (i) Regulation Z means any of the rules, regulations, or 
interpretations thereof, issued by the Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System to implement the Truth in Lending Act, as 
amended from time to time, including any interpretation or approval 
issued by an official or employee duly authorized by the Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System to issue such interpretations 
or approvals. Words that are not defined in this part have the meanings 
given to them in Regulation Z (12 CFR part 226) issued by the Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the ``Board''), as amended 
from time to time, including any interpretation thereof by the Board or 
an official or employee of the Federal Reserve System duly authorized 
by the Board to issue such interpretations. Words that are not defined 
in this part or Regulation Z, or any interpretation thereof, have the 
meanings given to them by State or Federal law, or contract.


Sec.  232.4  Terms of consumer credit extended to covered borrowers.

    (a) A creditor who extends consumer credit to a covered borrower 
and an assignee of the creditor, shall not require the member or 
dependent to pay a military annual percentage rate with respect to such 
extension of credit, except as--
    (1) Agreed to under the terms of the credit agreement or promissory 
note;
    (2) Authorized by applicable State or Federal law; and
    (3) Not specifically prohibited by this part.
    (b) A creditor described in paragraph (a) of this section or an 
assignee may not impose an MAPR greater than 36 percent in connection 
with an extension of consumer credit to a covered borrower.


Sec.  232.5  Identification of covered borrower.

    (a) This part shall not apply to a consumer credit transaction if 
the

[[Page 18169]]

conditions described in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section are 
met:
    (1) Prior to becoming obligated on the transaction, each applicant 
is provided with a clear and conspicuous ``covered borrower 
identification statement'' substantially similar to the following 
statement and each applicant signs the statement indicating that he or 
she is not a covered borrower:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal law provides important protections to active duty members of the
 Armed Forces and their dependents. To ensure that these protections are
 provided to eligible applicants, we require you to sign one of the
 following statements as applicable:
I AM a member of the Armed Forces on active duty.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I AM a dependent of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty because
 I am the member's spouse, the member's child under the age of eighteen
 years old, or I am an individual for whom the member provided more than
 one-half of my financial support for 180 days immediately preceding
 today's date.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
--OR--
I AM NOT a member of the Armed Forces on active duty (or a dependent of
 such a member).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warning: It is important to fill out this form accurately. Knowingly
 making a false statement on a credit application is a crime
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) The creditor has not determined, pursuant to the optional 
verification procedures in paragraph (b) of this section, that any such 
applicant is a covered borrower.
    (b) The creditor may, but is not required to, verify the status of 
an applicant as a covered borrower by requesting the applicant to 
provide a current (previous month) military leave and earning 
statement, or a military identification card (DD Form 2 for members, DD 
Form 1173 for dependents), as described in DoD Instruction 1003.1, 
Identification (ID) Cards for Members of the Uniformed Services, Their 
Dependents, and Other Eligible Individuals, December 5, 1997. Upon such 
request, activated members of the National Guard or Reserves shall also 
provide a copy of the military orders calling the covered member to 
military service and any orders further extending military service.
    (c) The creditor may, but is not required to, verify the status of 
an applicant as a covered borrower by accessing the information 
available at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/scra/owa/home. Searches require 
the service member's full name, Social Security number, and date of 
birth.
    (d) This part shall not apply to a consumer credit transaction in 
which the creditor rolls over, renews, repays, refinances, or 
consolidates consumer credit in accordance with Sec.  232.8(a)(1) if 
Sec.  232.5(a)(1) and (2) applied to the previous transaction.


Sec.  232.6  Mandatory loan disclosures

    (a) Required information. With respect to any extension of consumer 
credit (including any consumer credit originated or extended through 
the Internet) to a covered borrower, a creditor shall provide to the 
member or dependent the following information clearly and conspicuously 
before consummation of the consumer credit transaction:
    (1) The MAPR applicable to the extension of consumer credit, and 
the total dollar amount of all charges included in the MAPR.
    (2) Any disclosures required by Regulation Z (Truth in Lending), 12 
CFR Part 226.
    (3) A clear description of the payment obligation of the covered 
borrower, as applicable. A payment schedule provided pursuant to 
paragraph (a)(2) of this section satisfies this requirement.
    (4) A statement that ``Federal law provides important protections 
to active duty members of the Armed Forces and their dependents. 
Members of the Armed Forces and their dependents may be able to obtain 
financial assistance from Army Emergency Relief, Navy and Marine Corps 
Relief Society, the Air Force Aid Society, or Coast Guard Mutual Aid. 
Members of the Armed Forces and their dependents may request free legal 
advice regarding an application for credit from a service legal 
assistance office or financial counseling from a consumer credit 
counselor.''
    (b) Method of disclosure. (1) Written disclosures. The creditor 
shall provide the disclosures required by paragraph (a) of this section 
in writing in a form the covered borrower can keep.
    (2) Oral disclosures. The creditor also shall provide the 
disclosures required by paragraphs (a)(1), (3) and (4) of this section 
orally before consummation. In mail and internet transactions, the 
creditor satisfies this requirement if it provides a toll-free 
telephone number on or with the written disclosures that consumers may 
use to obtain oral disclosures and the creditor provides oral 
disclosures when the covered borrower contacts the creditor for this 
purpose.


Sec.  232.7  Preemption.

    (a) Inconsistent laws. 10 U.S.C. 987 as implemented by this 
regulation preempts any State or Federal law, rule or regulation, 
including any State usury law, to the extent such law, rule or 
regulation is inconsistent with this part, except that any such law, 
rule or regulation is not preempted to the extent that it provides 
protection to a covered borrower beyond those protections provided by 
10 U.S.C. 987 and this part.
    (b) Different treatment under State law of covered borrowers 
prohibited. States may not:
    (1) Authorize creditors to charge covered borrowers MAPRs for 
consumer credit higher than the legal limit for residents of the State, 
or
    (2) Permit the violation or waiver of any State consumer lending 
protection that is for the benefit of residents of the State on the 
basis of the covered borrower's nonresident or military status, 
regardless of the covered borrower's domicile or permanent home of 
record, provided that the protection would otherwise apply to the 
covered borrower.


Sec.  232.8  Limitations.

    (a) 10 U.S.C. 987 makes it unlawful for any creditor to extend 
consumer credit to a covered borrower with respect to which:
    (1) The creditor rolls over, renews, repays, refinances, or 
consolidates any consumer credit extended to the covered borrower by 
the same creditor with the proceeds of other consumer credit extended 
by that creditor to the same covered borrower, unless the new 
transaction results in more favorable terms to the covered borrower, 
such as a lower MAPR.
    (2) The covered borrower is required to waive the covered 
borrower's right to legal recourse under any otherwise applicable 
provision of State or Federal law, including any provision of the 
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 527).
    (3) The creditor requires the covered borrower to submit to 
arbitration or

[[Page 18170]]

imposes other onerous legal notice provisions in the case of a dispute.
    (4) The creditor demands unreasonable notice from the covered 
borrower as a condition for legal action.
    (5) The creditor uses a check or other method of access to a 
deposit, savings, or other financial account maintained by the covered 
borrower, or uses the title of a vehicle as security for the 
obligation, except that, in connection with a consumer credit 
transaction with an MAPR consistent with Sec.  232.4(b):
    (i) The creditor may require an electronic fund transfer to repay a 
consumer credit transaction, unless otherwise prohibited by Regulation 
E (Electronic Fund Transfers) 12 CFR Part 205;
    (ii) The creditor may require direct deposit of the consumer's 
salary as a condition of eligibility for consumer credit, unless 
otherwise prohibited by law; or
    (iii) The creditor may, if not otherwise prohibited by applicable 
law, take a security interest in funds deposited after the extension of 
credit in an account established in connection with the consumer credit 
transaction.
    (6) The creditor requires as a condition for the extension of 
consumer credit that the covered borrower establish an allotment to 
repay the obligation.
    (7) The covered borrower is prohibited from prepaying the consumer 
credit or is charged a penalty fee for prepaying all or part of the 
consumer credit.
    (b) For purposes of this section, an assignee may not engage in any 
transaction or take any action that would be prohibited for the 
creditor.


Sec.  232.9  Penalties and remedies.

    (a) Misdemeanor. A creditor or assignee who knowingly violates 10 
U.S.C. 987 as implemented by this part shall be fined as provided in 
title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned for not more than one year, 
or both.
    (b) Preservation of other remedies. The remedies and rights 
provided under 10 U.S.C. 987 as implemented by this part are in 
addition to and do not preclude any remedy otherwise available under 
law to the person claiming relief under the statute, including any 
award for consequential damages and punitive damages.
    (c) Contract void. Any credit agreement, promissory note, or other 
contract with a covered borrower which fails to comply with 10 U.S.C. 
987 as implemented by this regulation or which contains one or more 
provisions prohibited under 10 U.S.C. 987 as implemented by this 
regulation is void from the inception of the contract.
    (d) Arbitration. Notwithstanding 9 U.S.C. 2, or any other Federal 
or State law, rule, or regulation, no agreement to arbitrate any 
dispute involving the extension of consumer credit involving a covered 
borrower pursuant to this part shall be enforceable against any covered 
borrower, or any person who was a covered borrower when the agreement 
was made.


Sec.  232.10  Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protections unaffected.

    Nothing in this part may be construed to limit or otherwise affect 
the applicability of Section 207 and any other provisions of the 
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 527).


Sec.  232.11  Effective date and transition.

    Applicable consumer credit--This part shall only apply to consumer 
credit that is extended to a covered borrower and consummated on or 
after October 1, 2007.

    Dated: April 5, 2007.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, DOD.
[FR Doc. 07-1780 Filed 4-6-07; 12:20 pm]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P