I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2835 
To require the Financial Literacy and Education Commission to carry out 
a study on the impact of language barriers to financial health, to require 
the website and toll-free telephone number of the Commission to be 
provided in the most commonly spoken languages in the United States, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 25, 2023 
Ms. GARCIA of Texas (for herself, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. NICKEL, Mr. GREEN of 
Texas, and Mr. VARGAS) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Financial Literacy and Education Commission 
to carry out a study on the impact of language barriers 
to financial health, to require the website and toll-free 
telephone number of the Commission to be provided in 
the most commonly spoken languages in the United 
States, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Multilingual Financial 
Literacy Act’’. 
SEC. 2. STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF LANGUAGE BARRIERS 
TO FINANCIAL HEALTH. 
(a) STUDY.—The Financial Literacy and Education 
Commission shall carry out a study on the impact of lan-
guage barriers to financial health, including access to fi-
nancial literacy education and training, credit score out-
comes, the cost of credit, and homebuying across groups 
with limited English proficiency. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the study re-
quired under subsection (a), the Financial Literacy and 
Education Commission shall consult with every agency 
represented on the Commission. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than the end of the 6-month 
period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Financial Literacy and Education Commission shall issue 
a report to the Committee on Financial Services of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, 
Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate— 
(1) containing all findings and determinations 
made in carrying out the study required under sub-
section (a); and 
(2) analyzing the need for language accessibility 
across the financial services industry, including an 
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identification of any industries in which information 
is provided solely in one language, highlighting any 
products, services, or other financial offerings with 
information which is limited in their availability be-
yond English. 
SEC. 3. LANGUAGE ACCESS TO COMMISSION WEBSITE AND 
TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 514 of the Financial Lit-
eracy and Education Improvement Act (20 U.S.C. 9703) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(F) be provided in at least 8 of the most 
commonly spoken languages in the United 
States, as determined by the Bureau of the 
Census.’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) INFORMATION ON LANGUAGE RESOURCES 
FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The website established 
under paragraph (1) shall contain a separate website 
that provides— 
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‘‘(A) information on which Federal agen-
cies provide financial literacy and education re-
sources in languages other than English, includ-
ing which resources are available in which lan-
guages; and 
‘‘(B) guidance on where individuals can 
find Federal agency resources in a particular 
language for various topic areas. 
‘‘(4) TRANSLATION
SERVICES
PROVIDED
BY 
THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY.—The Sec-
retary of the Treasury shall provide the translation 
services necessary to comply with the language re-
quirement under paragraph (2)(F).’’; 
(2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 
following: ‘‘The toll-free telephone number shall pro-
vide verbal assistance to members of the public in 
each of the 8 most commonly spoken languages in 
the United States, as determined by the Bureau of 
the Census. The Secretary of the Treasury shall pro-
vide the staff necessary to comply with such lan-
guage requirement.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j) LANGUAGE ACCESS TO FEDERAL AGENCY IN-
FORMATION.—The Commission shall coordinate and pro-
mote efforts of Federal agencies to make all financial lit-
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eracy and education resources of Federal agencies avail-
able in each of the 8 most commonly spoken languages 
in the United States, as determined by the Bureau of the 
Census.’’. 
(b) APPLICATION.—The provisions of law added by 
this section shall apply after the end of the 1-year period 
beginning on the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. 
Not later than the end of the 12-month period begin-
ning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Financial 
Literacy and Education Commission shall issue a report 
to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, 
and Urban Affairs of the Senate containing— 
(1) legislative and regulatory recommendations 
on how to address barriers to financial inclusion 
caused by language barriers, including financial lit-
eracy education and training and the role that 
emerging technology and financial products play in 
helping or harming communities with limited 
English proficiency; 
(2) a summary of— 
(A) the actions taken by the Commission 
to implement the amendments made by section 
3; and 
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(B) any actions taken by individual Fed-
eral agencies that are members of the Commis-
sion to make financial literacy and education 
resources of the agency available to the public 
in each of the 8 most commonly spoken lan-
guages in the United States, as determined by 
the Bureau of the Census; and 
(3) an estimate of the cost needed— 
(A) to implement the amendments made by 
section 3; and 
(B) for each Federal agency that is a 
member of the Commission to make financial 
literacy and education resources of the agency 
available to the public in each of the 8 most 
commonly spoken languages in the United 
States, as determined by the Bureau of the 
Census. 
SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORT ON FINANCIAL LITERACY. 
Section 514(h)(2) of the Financial Literacy and Edu-
cation Improvement Act (20 U.S.C. 9703(h)(2)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subparagraph (I), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (J) as sub-
paragraph (O); and 
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(3) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(J) a summary of the Commission’s ef-
forts over the previous year to increase financial 
literacy across all member agencies of the Com-
mission; 
‘‘(K) an analysis of where there are finan-
cial literacy needs across different groups, in-
cluding information by age group, socio-
economic status, race, ethnicity, and language 
preference; 
‘‘(L) an analysis of limited access to credit 
and disparate credit scoring across different 
groups, including information by age group, 
gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic sta-
tus, race, ethnicity, and language preference; 
‘‘(M) an explanation of how a lack of fi-
nancial literacy, systemic barriers, and other 
obstacles result in a wealth gap across different 
groups, including information by age group, 
gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic sta-
tus, race, ethnicity, and language preference; 
‘‘(N) proposals and potential policy solu-
tions for addressing barriers to financial lit-
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