I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8028 

To amend the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to prohibit discrimination based 

on an applicant’s institution of higher education, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 11, 2020 

Mr. VELA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Financial Services 

A BILL 

To amend the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to prohibit 

discrimination based on an applicant’s institution of 

higher education, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protect Minority Stu5 dent Borrowers Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. SCOPE OF PROHIBITION. 

7 (a) PROHIBITED DISCRIMINATION.—Section 701 of 

8 the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (15 U.S.C. 1691) is 

9 amended— 


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•HR 8028 IH

1 (1) by redesignating subsections (b) through (e) 

2 as subsections (c) through (f), respectively; and 

3 (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol4 lowing: 

5 ‘‘(b)(1) It shall be unlawful for any private education 

6 lender to discriminate against any applicant, with respect 

7 to any aspect of a credit transaction, on the basis of the 

8 institution of higher education an applicant intends to at9 tend, presently attends, or previously attended, including 

10 whether such institution is a minority-serving institution. 

11 ‘‘(2) In this subsection: 

12 ‘‘(A) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 

13 has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) 

14 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

15 1001(a)). 

16 ‘‘(B) The term ‘minority-serving institution’ 

17 means an institution of higher education described 

18 in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 

19 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)). 

20 ‘‘(C) The term ‘private education lender’ has 

21 the meaning given such term in section 140(a) of 

22 the Truth In Lending Act (15 U.S.C. 1650(a)).’’. 

23 (b) CIVIL LIABILITY.—Section 706(g) of the Equal 

24 Credit Opportunity Act (15 U.S.C. 1691e(g)) is amended 


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1 by striking ‘‘section 701(a)’’ each place it appears and in2 serting ‘‘subsection (a) or (b) of section 701’’. 

3 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 603(k) of 

4 the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681a(k)) is 

5 amended by striking ‘‘701(d)(6)’’ each place it appears 

6 and inserting ‘‘701(e)(6)’’. 

7 SEC. 3. STUDY AND REPORT ON LENDING DISCRIMINATION. 

8 (a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 

9 States shall conduct a study on— 

10 (1) whether private education lenders (as de11 fined in section 140(a) of the Truth in Lending Act 

12 (15 U.S.C. 1650(a))) discriminate against applicants 

13 who intend to attend, currently attend, or previously 

14 attended minority-serving institutions of higher edu15 cation (as described in section 371(a) of the Higher 

16 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a))); and 

17 (2) the extent of such discrimination, if any. 

18 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

19 of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 

20 United States shall submit to Congress a report that con21 tains the results of the study conducted under subsection 

22 (a). 

Æ 


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