complete, or unverifiable, promptly notify 
each consumer reporting agency to which 
the person furnished such information in 
accordance with paragraph (2); and 
‘‘(vi) notify the consumer of the re-
sults of the investigation, in writing, in ac-
cordance with subparagraph (H).’’. 
(d) ELIMINATING FURNISHERS’ AUTHORITY TO DIS-
MISS DISPUTES AS FRIVOLOUS OR IRRELEVANT.—Section 
623(a)(8) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 1681s–2(a)(8)) is 
amended by striking subparagraph (F) and redesignating 
subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (F). 
(e) ADDITIONAL DUTIES.—Section 623(a)(8) of such 
Act (15 U.S.C. 1681s–2(a)(8)) is further amended by add-
ing at the end the following new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(G) REASONABLE STANDARDS FOR FUR-
NISHERS
FOR
CONDUCTING
INVESTIGATIONS 
AND RESOLVING DISPUTES SUBMITTED BY CON-
SUMERS.—In any investigation conducted by a 
person who furnishes information to a con-
sumer reporting agency of an item of informa-
tion being disputed by a consumer, the person, 
at a minimum— 
‘‘(i) shall maintain sufficient resources 
and trained staff, commensurate with the 
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volume and complexity of disputes received 
or reasonably anticipated to be received, to 
conduct investigations; 
‘‘(ii) shall verify that the person has a 
record of the particular information being 
disputed, consistent with the requirements 
of subsection (f); 
‘‘(iii) shall verify that the personally 
identifiable information of the consumer 
submitting the dispute matches the person-
ally identifiable information contained on 
such records; 
‘‘(iv) shall conduct a reasonable re-
view to determine whether the disputed in-
formation is accurate, complete, and can 
be verified that considers all the informa-
tion, including any substantiating docu-
ments, provided by the consumer about the 
disputed information; 
‘‘(v) shall ensure that the investiga-
tion is an independent analysis that is sep-
arate from any reinvestigation by a con-
sumer reporting agency or a reseller con-
ducted with respect to the disputed infor-
mation; and 
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‘‘(vi) may not impose any limitations 
or otherwise impede the ability of a con-
sumer to submit information, including 
any substantiating documents, about the 
disputed information. 
‘‘(H) CONTENTS OF THE NOTICE TO THE 
CONSUMER ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE IN-
VESTIGATION BY THE FURNISHER.—The notice 
of the results of the investigation described in 
subparagraph (E) shall include— 
‘‘(i) a statement informing the con-
sumer as to whether the disputed informa-
tion was determined to be inaccurate, in-
complete, or unverifiable; 
‘‘(ii) a statement of the specific rea-
sons supporting the results of the inves-
tigation; 
‘‘(iii) a description of the procedure 
used by the dispute resolution staff of the 
person who furnishes information to a con-
sumer reporting agency to determine the 
accuracy or completeness of the informa-
tion, including the business name, mailing 
address, telephone number, and Internet 
website address (if available) of any person 
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who was contacted by the staff in connec-
tion with the determination; 
‘‘(iv) a copy of all information relating 
to the consumer that was used in carrying 
out the investigation and was the basis for 
any determination about the accuracy or 
completeness of the disputed information; 
‘‘(v) a statement that consumer will 
receive, free of charge, a copy of their con-
sumer report and credit score or edu-
cational credit score (if applicable), from 
any consumer reporting agency to which 
the disputed information had been pro-
vided, regardless of whether the consumer 
obtained or will obtain a free consumer re-
port and credit score or educational credit 
score (if applicable) in the 12-month period 
preceding receipt of the notice described in 
this subparagraph pursuant to section 
612(a)(1); 
‘‘(vi) if the disputed information was 
found to be inaccurate, incomplete, or un-
verifiable, a statement that the consumer 
report of the consumer shall be revised to 
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reflect the change to the consumer’s file as 
a result of the investigation; 
‘‘(vii) a statement that the consumer 
has the right to appeal the results of the 
investigation under paragraph (10), free of 
charge, within 120 days after the date of 
the notice of the results of the investiga-
tion was provided to the consumer and the 
process for submitting an appeal; 
‘‘(viii) a statement that the consumer 
may add a narrative statement, free of 
charge, to the consumer’s file held by the 
consumer reporting agency to which the in-
formation has been furnished disputing the 
accuracy or completeness of the informa-
tion, regardless of the results of the inves-
tigation by the person, and the process for 
contacting any agency that received the 
consumer’s information from the person to 
submit a narrative statement; 
‘‘(ix) a statement informing the con-
sumer that a notation described in section 
605(e) will be added to the consumer’s file 
during the period in which the consumer 
appeals the results of an investigation and 
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that such notation can be removed at the 
request of the consumer; and 
‘‘(x) a statement that the consumer 
has the right to request a copy of their 
consumer report and credit score or edu-
cational credit score (if applicable), free of 
charge, within the 12-month period fol-
lowing the date of the conclusion of the in-
vestigation from any consumer reporting 
agency in which the disputed information 
had been provided, regardless of whether 
the consumer obtained or will obtain a free 
annual consumer report and credit score or 
educational credit score (if applicable) 
under 
this 
subparagraph 
or 
section 
612(a)(1).’’. 
(f) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
615(a)(4)(B) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘, under section 611, with a 
consumer reporting agency’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘furnished by the agency’’ and 
inserting ‘‘to a consumer reporting agency under 
section 611 or to a person who furnished informa-
tion to an agency under section 623’’. 
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pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 105. RIGHT TO APPEAL DISPUTES RELATING TO RE-
INVESTIGATIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS. 
(a) APPEALS OF REINVESTIGATIONS CONDUCTED BY 
A CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCY.—Section 611 of the 
Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681i) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘or if the 
consumer is unsatisfied with the results of an appeal 
conducted under subsection (h),’’ after ‘‘resolve the 
dispute,’’; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (h) (as added 
by section 102) the following new subsection: 
‘‘(i) CONSUMER RIGHT TO APPEAL RESULTS OF A 
CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCY REINVESTIGATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Within 120 days after the 
date of receipt of the results of a reinvestigation 
conducted under subsection (a), a consumer (or au-
thorized third party) may, free of charge, appeal the 
results of such reinvestigation by submitting a notice 
of appeal to the consumer reporting agency. 
‘‘(2) NOTICE OF APPEAL.— 
‘‘(A) REQUIREMENTS.—A notice of appeal 
described in paragraph (1) may be submitted in 
writing, or through a toll-free telephone number 
or other electronic means established by the 
consumer reporting agency (including on the 
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Internet website described in subsection (g)), 
and— 
‘‘(i) shall identify the information con-
tained in the consumer’s file that is the 
subject of the appeal; 
‘‘(ii) shall describe the specific reasons 
for submitting the notice of appeal; and 
‘‘(iii) may provide any information the 
consumer believes is relevant to substan-
tiate the validity of the dispute. 
‘‘(B) CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCY NO-
TICE TO CONSUMER.—Upon receipt of such no-
tice of appeal, the consumer reporting agency 
shall promptly provide to the consumer a state-
ment confirming the receipt of the consumer’s 
notice of appeal that shall include— 
‘‘(i) an approximate date on which the 
consumer’s appeal review will be com-
pleted; 
‘‘(ii) the process and procedures by 
which such review will be conducted; and 
‘‘(iii) an employee reference number 
or other employee identifier for each of the 
specific individuals designated by the con-
sumer reporting agency who, upon the re-
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quest of the consumer, may discuss the 
substance and status of the appeal. 
‘‘(3) CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCY REQUIRE-
MENTS UPON RECEIPT OF NOTICE OF APPEAL.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 20 
days after receiving a notice of appeal, the con-
sumer reporting agency shall review the appeal. 
If the consumer reporting agency determines 
the information is inaccurate, incomplete, or 
cannot be verified, the consumer reporting 
agency shall delete or modify the item of infor-
mation being disputed by the consumer from 
the file of the consumer before the end of the 
20-day period beginning on the date on which 
the consumer reporting agency receives a notice 
of an appeal from the consumer. 
‘‘(B) NOTICE OF APPEAL TO FURNISHER; 
INFORMATION REGARDING DISPUTE PROVIDED 
BY THE CONSUMER.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Before the end of 
the period of 3 business days beginning on 
the date on which a consumer reporting 
agency receives a notice of appeal, the con-
sumer reporting agency shall provide no-
tice of the appeal, including all information 
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relating to the specific appeal that the con-
sumer reporting agency has received from 
the consumer, to any person who provided 
any information in dispute. 
‘‘(ii) PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL IN-
FORMATION REGARDING THE DISPUTE.—If 
the consumer reporting agency receives ad-
ditional information from the consumer 
after the agency provides the notice re-
quired under clause (i) and before the end 
of the 20-day period described in subpara-
graph (A), the consumer reporting agency 
shall, not later than 3 business days after 
receiving such information, provide such 
information to any person who provided 
the information in dispute and shall have 
an additional 10 business days to complete 
the appeal review. 
‘‘(C) MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR APPEALS 
EMPLOYEES.— 
‘‘(i) DESIGNATION.—Upon receipt of 
a notice of appeal under paragraph (1), a 
consumer reporting agency shall designate 
one or more specific employees who— 
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‘‘(I) shall be assigned an em-
ployee reference number or other em-
ployee identifier that can be used by 
the consumer to discuss the appeal 
with the specific individuals handling 
the appeal; 
‘‘(II) shall have direct authority 
to resolve the dispute that is the sub-
ject of the notice of appeal from the 
review stage to its completion; 
‘‘(III) shall meet minimum train-
ing and ongoing certification require-
ments at regular intervals, as estab-
lished by the Bureau; 
‘‘(IV) shall be located within the 
United States; 
‘‘(V) may not have been involved 
in the reinvestigation conducted or 
terminated pursuant to subsection (a); 
and 
‘‘(VI) may not be subject to any 
requirements linking incentives, in-
cluding promotion, to the number of 
appeals processed within a certain 
time period. 
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‘‘(ii) REQUIREMENTS.—Such employ-
ees shall conduct a robust review of the ap-
peal and make a determination regarding 
the accuracy and completeness of the dis-
puted information by— 
‘‘(I) conducting an independent 
analysis, separate from any investiga-
tion by a reseller or person who pro-
vided the disputed information, and 
separate from any prior reinvestiga-
tion conducted by the consumer re-
porting agency of the disputed infor-
mation; 
‘‘(II) verifying that the personally 
identifiable information of the con-
sumer submitting the dispute matches 
the personally identifiable information 
contained on the consumer’s file; 
‘‘(III) analyzing the notice of ap-
peal and all information, including 
any substantiating documents, pro-
vided by the consumer with the notice 
of appeal; 
‘‘(IV) evaluating the validity of 
any information submitted by any 
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period described in subparagraph (D) (or the 
10 business day extension described under sub-
paragraph (G), as applicable) the furnisher 
shall provide the consumer with written notice 
of the results of the appeal by mail or, if re-
quested by the consumer, by other means. The 
contents of such notice shall include— 
‘‘(i) a statement that the appeal is 
completed and the date on which it was 
completed, the results of the appeal, and 
the specific reasons supporting the results 
of the appeal; 
‘‘(ii) a copy of all information relating 
to the consumer that was used as a basis 
for deciding the results of the appeal; 
‘‘(iii) if the appeal results in any 
change to the consumer report, a notifica-
tion that the consumer shall receive a copy, 
free of charge, of a revised consumer re-
port (based upon the consumer’s file as 
that file was changed as a result of the ap-
peal) and a credit score or educational 
credit score (if applicable) from each con-
sumer reporting agency that had been fur-
nished incorrect information; 
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