15 U.S.C. § 1692 — Congressional findings and declaration of

Page 1634 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 1691f ized by the Board. Former subsec. (e) redesignated (d) and amended. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 94–239 redesignated subsec. (g) as (f) and inserted provisions which substituted a two year limitation for one year limitation and provisions ex- tending time in which to bring action under enumer- ated conditions. Former subsec. (f) redesignated (e) and amended. Subsecs. (g) to (j). Pub. L. 94–239 added subsecs. (g) to (j). Former subsec. (g) redesignated (f) and amended. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2010 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 111–203 effective on the des- ignated transfer date, see section 1100H of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 552a of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1976 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 94–239 effective Mar. 23, 1976, see section 708 of Pub. L. 90–321, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1691 of this title. § 1691f. Annual reports to Congress; contents Each year, the Bureau and the Attorney Gen- eral shall, respectively, make reports to the Congress concerning the administration of their functions under this subchapter, including such recommendations as the Bureau and the Attor- ney General, respectively, deem necessary or ap- propriate. In addition, each report of the Bureau shall include its assessment of the extent to which compliance with the requirements of this subchapter is being achieved, and a summary of the enforcement actions taken by each of the agencies assigned administrative enforcement responsibilities under section 1691c of this title. (Pub. L. 90–321, title VII, § 707, as added Pub. L. 94–239, § 7, Mar. 23, 1976, 90 Stat. 255; amended Pub. L. 96–221, title VI, § 610(c), Mar. 31, 1980, 94 Stat. 174; Pub. L. 111–203, title X, § 1085(1), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2083.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2010—Pub. L. 111–203 substituted ‘‘Bureau’’ for ‘‘Board’’ wherever appearing. 1980—Pub. L. 96–221 substituted ‘‘Each year’’ for ‘‘Not later than February 1 of each year after 1976’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2010 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 111–203 effective on the des- ignated transfer date, see section 1100H of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 552a of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1980 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 96–221 effective on expiration of two years and six months after Mar. 31, 1980, with all regulations, forms, and clauses required to be pre- scribed to be promulgated at least one year prior to such effective date, and allowing any creditor to com- ply with any amendments, in accordance with the regu- lations, forms, and clauses prescribed by the Board prior to such effective date, see section 625 of Pub. L. 96–221, set out as a note under section 1602 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Mar. 23, 1976, see section 708 of Pub. L. 90–321, set out as a note under section 1691 of this title. SUBCHAPTER V—DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES § 1692. Congressional findings and declaration of purpose (a) Abusive practices There is abundant evidence of the use of abu- sive, deceptive, and unfair debt collection prac- tices by many debt collectors. Abusive debt col- lection practices contribute to the number of personal bankruptcies, to marital instability, to the loss of jobs, and to invasions of individual privacy. (b) Inadequacy of laws Existing laws and procedures for redressing these injuries are inadequate to protect con- sumers. (c) Available non-abusive collection methods Means other than misrepresentation or other abusive debt collection practices are available for the effective collection of debts. (d) Interstate commerce Abusive debt collection practices are carried on to a substantial extent in interstate com- merce and through means and instrumentalities of such commerce. Even where abusive debt col- lection practices are purely intrastate in char- acter, they nevertheless directly affect inter- state commerce. (e) Purposes It is the purpose of this subchapter to elimi- nate abusive debt collection practices by debt collectors, to insure that those debt collectors who refrain from using abusive debt collection practices are not competitively disadvantaged, and to promote consistent State action to pro- tect consumers against debt collection abuses. (Pub. L. 90–321, title VIII, § 802, as added Pub. L. 95–109, Sept. 20, 1977, 91 Stat. 874.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Pub. L. 90–321, title VIII, § 819, formerly § 818, as added by Pub. L. 95–109, Sept. 20, 1977, 91 Stat. 883, § 818; re- numbered § 819, Pub. L. 109–351, title VIII, § 801(a)(1), Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 2004, provided that: ‘‘This title [enacting this subchapter] takes effect upon the expira- tion of six months after the date of its enactment [Sept. 20, 1977], but section 809 [section 1692g of this title] shall apply only with respect to debts for which the initial attempt to collect occurs after such effec- tive date.’’ SHORT TITLE This subchapter known as the ‘‘Fair Debt Collection Practices Act’’, see Short Title note set out under sec- tion 1601 of this title. § 1692a. Definitions As used in this subchapter— (1) The term ‘‘Bureau’’ means the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. (2) The term ‘‘communication’’ means the conveying of information regarding a debt di- rectly or indirectly to any person through any medium. (3) The term ‘‘consumer’’ means any natural person obligated or allegedly obligated to pay any debt.