ProgressOhio

Washington, D.C.--  One of the most effective freshmen members in Congress moved two bills towards law today which promise to give consumers greater protections in medical billing and curtail the influence of lobbyists in Congress. U.S. Representative Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15), author of H. R. 5751, the Lobbying Disclosure Enhancement Act and H.R. 3421, the Medical Debt Relief Act, hailed both bipartisan bills as positive steps forward, for central Ohioans and all Americans.

On the coattails of the Wall Street Reform bill, Kilroy’s Lobbying Disclosure Enhancement Act (H.R. 5751) would establish a Task Force to bolster enforcement of rules for federal lobbyists and special interest groups. The bill passed the House unanimously by voice vote today and is on its way to the Senate.

“When Americans on Main Street try to cheat or break the law, there are repercussions; but for years, there was no way to hold lobbyists accountable for games they play with their disclosures,” said Kilroy. “The Lobbying Disclosure Enhancement Act establishes a task force that will go after lobbyists who engage in shoddy reporting practices and hide behind ignorance of the law.”

The Lobbying Disclosure Enhancement Act directs the Attorney General to establish a task force with the ability to investigate and prosecute cases referred to the U.S. Attorney’s office for D.C. under the existing Lobbying Disclosure Act.

In addition, Kilroy’s much anticipated Medical Debt Relief Act (H.R. 3421), was reported out of the House Committee on Financial Services today by a unanimous voice vote.  The bill, which currently has 104 bipartisan co-sponsors, would bring relief to millions of Americans who are mired by medical debt each year by prohibiting paid off or settled medical debt from being used as a criterion to determine approvals for mortgages and other consumer purchases.

 “In this day and age credit scores are fundamental to an individual’s ability to buy a house, car, or even attain gainful employment,” said Rep. Kilroy following today’s markup. “Debt from medical expenses isn’t like buying a big screen television on a credit card, but it is being treated in exactly that way by the credit bureaus even when it has been reconciled. My bill would break the barriers caused by unforeseen medical debt, making sure that it cannot negatively affect an individual’s ability to find a job and attain other necessities after it has been paid off.”

According to the nonpartisan Commonwealth Fund, medical bill problems or accrued medical debt affect roughly 72 million working-age adults in America.  Medical debt is unique as individuals don't get to decide when they get sick or when illness strikes. Despite this, Americans who do incur debt and subsequently reconcile it are forced to wait years for their credit scores to rebound.  The Medical Debt Relief Act would require that medical debt fully paid off or settled be removed from a consumer’s credit records within 30 days.

The Lobbying Disclosure Enhancement Act and Medical Debt Relief Act are part of a broader commitment made by Kilroy to protect Ohioans from unfair financial practices.  Kilroy was a key player in crafting the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to bring greater accountability to big banks and financial institutions and provide greater financial security to families and small businesses in central Ohio. The Dodd-Frank Bill is the toughest regulation of Wall Street in since the Great Depression.