Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§1671 Congressional findings and declaration of purpose

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 41— - CONSUMER CREDIT PROTECTION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - RESTRICTIONS ON GARNISHMENT › § 1671

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Congress says that letting creditors take workers’ pay without limits leads to risky, predatory lending. Those loans push too much money into debt payments, hurt the buying and selling of goods between states, and often cause people to lose their jobs. Different state rules about taking wages also wreck the consistency of bankruptcy laws. Because of these facts, Congress decides these rules are needed to control interstate business and make bankruptcy laws uniform.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §1671

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Congress finds:
(1)The unrestricted garnishment of compensation due for personal services encourages the making of predatory extensions of credit. Such extensions of credit divert money into excessive credit payments and thereby hinder the production and flow of goods in interstate commerce.
(2)The application of garnishment as a creditors’ remedy frequently results in loss of employment by the debtor, and the resulting disruption of employment, production, and consumption constitutes a substantial burden on interstate commerce.
(3)The great disparities among the laws of the several States relating to garnishment have, in effect, destroyed the uniformity of the bankruptcy laws and frustrated the purposes thereof in many areas of the country.
(b)On the basis of the findings stated in subsection (a) of this section, the Congress determines that the provisions of this subchapter are necessary and proper for the purpose of carrying into execution the powers of the Congress to regulate commerce and to establish uniform bankruptcy laws.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 90–321, title V, § 504(c),
May 29, 1968, 82 Stat. 167, provided that: “Title III [enacting this section and sections 1672 to 1677 of this title] takes effect on
July 1, 1970.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 1671

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73