WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) – Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs – released the following statement following passage of a bill he introduced with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) to protect CARES Act recovery payments provided from garnishment by private debt collectors:
“During this public health crisis, Congress must ensure that hardworking Americans have every tool they need to rebuild and recover from the economic fallout of this crisis,” said Senator Brown. “Congress came together to pass the CARES Act, which provided much needed relief for working families to cover basic necessities, and this legislation would make sure that those payments and any future payments will be protected from garnishment. The House must immediately take up this bill and ensure that the money allocated to working families by Congress goes to pay for food, medicine, and other necessities, not to debt collectors. Americans are still suffering from this public health and economic crisis and Congress must step up and provide additional relief.”