Katie Britt and colleagues introduce bill to allow consumers improve their credit ratings
U.S. Senator Katie Britt joined Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) in introducing the Credit Access and Inclusion Act to responsibly expand credit access for millions of Americans with limited or non-existent credit histories. The sponsors said that this bipartisan legislation would permit property owners and utility and telecom providers to report payment data to credit reporting agencies, allowing consumers with an established track record of paying their bills on time the additional opportunity to develop a positive credit history. “Hardworking Alabamians and Americans who have demonstrated financial responsibility deserve a pathway to establish and build their credit,” said Sen. Britt. “This bill takes into consideration the varying circumstances and experiences of individuals who hope to achieve their American Dream. Credit reporting is a crucial component in our nation’s economy to establish financial stability for the individual and the lender – this legislation simply incorporates a complete history of on-time payments, like rent and utilities, to reflect an accurate credit score.” “If you pay your bills on time, your credit score should reflect it,” stated Scott. “Americans shouldn’t be held back from purchasing a home, financing their education, or pursuing their dreams simply because their on-time payments don’t happen to count towards their credit scores. This bill will remove needless barriers and help hardworking Americans gain access to credit.” Sens. Britt and Ranking Member Scott in cosponsoring the bill are Senators Joe Manchin (D- West Virginia), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Angus King (I-Maine), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming). U.S. Congressman French Hill (R-Arkansas) introduced the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives last week, along with Reps. Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota), David Schweikert (R-Arizona), Michelle Steel (R-California), Young Kim (R-California), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Florida), and Byron Donalds (R-Florida). According to information provided by Sens. Britt and Scott, approximately 26 million Americans are “credit invisible,” meaning they lack credit records or a history of traditional payments, such as student loans, car loans, or mortgage payments. Having no credit or thin credit makes economic mobility difficult and hampers an individual’s ability to purchase a home, take out student loans, buy a car, or even get a job. The Credit Access and Inclusion Act allows credit bureaus to collect payment data for services not traditionally factored into credit reporting, such as rent, internet, phone, electricity, and utility payments. Factoring these payments into credit reporting would expand credit histories and generate credit scores for consumers who were previously “unscorable.” Many Americans who don’t have credit cards, mortgages, car payments, etc., don’t have enough open accounts to generate a credit score. Some people, however, are just starting out in life, while some people with no credit accounts may have significant actual wealth. Katie Britt is a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Congressman Mike Rogers joins colleauges to voice concern over safety of Olympic athletes in China
Congressman Mike Rogers joined China Task Force Chairman Michael McCaul and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy in sending a letter to Board Chair of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Susanne Lyons. The letter expresses concern and the importance of ensuring U.S. Olympians are educated on how to stay safe during the Olympics. Additionally, they commented on the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) gross human rights abuses, including genocide. The letter specifically asks that Olympians are informated on how to keep themselves safe. The Beijing Organizing Committee and the CCP has made clear that they will have an unprecedented level of control over the athletes. The letter also asks that the USOPC prepare athletes with the knowledge they need about their rights while in China and also requests an explanation of what steps have been taken to ensure the safety of athletes who may exercise their freedom of speech. “The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has a responsibility to ensure our athletes are prepared for these unprecedented Olympic games,” the lawmakers wrote. “Congress legislatively empowered the USOPC with the exclusive privilege of representing the United States in the Olympic community. American values are a core part of the USOPC’s Congressional charter, including a duty to ‘promote a safe environment in sports.’ In recent weeks, Congress has acted to further increase the preparedness and safety of American athletes representing the United States in human rights-violating countries, by codifying the American Values and Security in International Athletics Act.” The Republican-led China Task Force aims to help reinforce Congressional efforts to counter current and emerging cross-jurisdictional threats from China. The letter was also signed by China Task Force Members Reps. Andy Barr (R-KY), Liz Cheney (R-WY), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Michael Waltz (R-FL), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Chris Stewart (R-UT), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Mark Green (R-TN), Mike Garcia (R-CA), Austin Scott (R-GA), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), and Young Kim (R-CA). Rogers stated on Twitter, “The abhorrent reality of the Olympics occurring in a genocidal state will leave a permanent stain on the legacy of Beining 2022 and the International Olympic Committee.” The full text of the letter is below: Dear Chair Lyons, The 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing will be the first Olympic games to take place in a country that is conducting an ongoing genocide. Therefore, these games are an unprecedented threat to American values, inalienable human rights, and the spirit of the Olympics. It is vital that our athletes arrive fully informed about the reality of the genocide occurring in China, as well as the broad range of other human rights abuses and malign actions committed by the Chinese government and Communist Party. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has a responsibility to ensure our athletes are prepared for these unprecedented Olympic games. Congress legislatively empowered the USOPC with the exclusive privilege of representing the United States in the Olympic community. American values are a core part of the USOPC’s Congressional charter, including a duty to “promote a safe environment in sports.”1 In recent weeks, Congress has acted to further increase the preparedness and safety of American athletes representing the United States in human rights-violating countries, by codifying the American Values and Security in International Athletics Act2. The abhorrent reality of the Olympics occurring in a genocidal state will leave a permanent stain on the legacy of Beijing 2022 and the International Olympic Committee. The USOPC has a responsibility to ensure our athletes know that Congress and the Administration have designated the Chinese Communist Party’s crimes against Uyghurs as genocide, a term the U.S. government reserves for history’s most grave human rights atrocities. Over one million Uyghurs and members of other religious and ethnic minorities have been forced into concentration camps, been subject to abusive brainwashing and political indoctrination, have had their families forcibly separated, have been put to forced labor, and have been subject to sexual violence and efforts to reduce their population’s birth rate. We also remain seriously concerned that the American delegation to Beijing may be unprepared for personal security risks, particularly for individuals who exercise their freedom of speech. The “closed loop management system” enforced by the Beijing Organizing Committee – allegedly in response to the pandemic – will give the Chinese government an unprecedented level of control over international athletes, while at the same time hindering access by the U.S. State Department. The Department has been forthright that its consular access to athletes in need remains uncertain, and that the entirety of its China Travel Advisory applies to the games, including major threats of arbitrary detention “for sending private electronic messages critical of the PRC government,” a lack of due process, and the use of propaganda campaigns to target U.S. citizens. These risks are very likely to be heightened given the Chinese government’s total control inside the “closed loop” and the pervasive surveillance the CCP demands over events prioritized in its external propaganda efforts. This week, a Beijing Organizing Committee official issued a veiled threat to those who would speak out, saying “Any behavior or speech that is against the Olympic spirit, especially against the Chinese laws and regulations, are also subject to certain punishment.” Public statements from yourself and other USOPC officials acknowledge the danger, but sadly such statements indicate that our athletes are being encouraged to self-censor: “The laws of China are distinct and different… The expectation is we abide by the rules of that country.” Rather than push American athletes to follow the CCP’s party line, the USOPC should empower Team USA with the resources to understand the human rights crisis they face when representing our country in China and take action to ensure their safety. We urge you in the strongest terms to ensure that Team USA is fully informed about the human rights situation in China, including its ongoing genocide, and request that you reply with: An explanation of USOPC’s efforts to educate American participants in Beijing 2022 about the Chinese Communist Party’s malign actions including its
