April 30, 2026
Mr. Kelly (for himself, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Warner, and Ms. Alsobrooks) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
To protect the credit of Federal workers during a government shutdown.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Federal Worker Credit Protection Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Prohibition on reporting adverse items of information relating to Federal workers during Government shutdowns
(a) In general
Section 605 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681c) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:
(9)
With respect to a consumer reporting agency described in section 603(p), any item of adverse information related to the debt of Federal workers during a covered period, as those terms are defined in subsection (i).; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following:
(i) Government shutdowns
(1) Definitions
In this subsection:
(A) Covered individual
The term covered individual means an employee of the United States Government or the District of Columbia whose employing agency is subject to a lapse of appropriations.
(B) Covered period
The term covered period means the period beginning on the date on which there is more than a 24-hour lapse in appropriations and ending on the date that is 30 days after the date on which there is no longer a lapse in appropriations.
(2) Request to delete
A consumer reporting agency, upon receiving a direct request from a consumer who is a covered individual during a covered period shall, free of charge, delete information excluded under subsection (a)(9) in the consumer report of the consumer and prohibit the consumer reporting agency from disclosing such information in the consumer report of the consumer to any person requesting the consumer report.
(3) Notification
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall submit to each consumer reporting agency described in section 603(p) a notification of the start and end of a lapse in appropriations impacting covered individuals.
(b) Technical and conforming amendment
Section 605(c)(1) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681c(c)(1)) is amended by striking paragraphs (4) and (6)
and inserting paragraphs (4), (6), and (9)
.
(c) Effective date
This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall apply to a covered period that begins on or after February 1, 2026.