# 114-hr-5664: WAGE Act

114-hr-5664, WAGE Act, is a 114th Congress bill sponsored by ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D-MD); status Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-5664
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 114-hr-5664
- Congress: 114
- Title: WAGE Act
- Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- Introduced: 2016-07-07
- Sponsor: ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D-MD)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Wage and Garnishment Equity Act of 2016 or the WAGE Act This bill amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act to define "assignment" (of wages and earnings) to exclude payroll deductions or preauthorized payment plans and any assignment applicable only to earnings already earned. The bill adjusts the maximum part of a person's aggregate disposable earnings for any workweek that is subject to garnishment or assignment. Such amount shall not exceed the lesser of: (1) 10% of earnings for an individual earning $1200 or less weekly (15% for an individual earning more than $1200), or (2) the amount by which the earnings exceed 80 (currently, 30) times the federal minimum hourly wage in effect. No employer may take any adverse employment action against an employee because the employee's earnings have been subject to garnishment or assignment. The Department of Labor may provide the same exemption from maximum allowable garnishment requirements for state-regulated assignments as it does for state-regulated garnishments. The bill requires specified delays of garnishment pursuant to an order directed at an employer with fewer than 50 employees. Of the aggregate amount of an individual's funds in deposit accounts, an amount equal to the federal poverty guideline applicable to a one-person household shall be exempt and immune from attachment or seizure for any judgment related to a debt.

## Related bills

- 114-hr-6501: Prescription Drug and Medical Device Price Review Board Act of 2016
- 114-hr-6450: Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016
- 114-hr-6447: Protecting Our Democracy Act
- 114-hr-6318: Fair Pay for Presidential Protection Act
- 114-hr-6230: Social Security Safety Dividend Act of 2016
- 114-hr-6073: Election Infrastructure and Security Promotion Act of 2016

## Sources
- [114-hr-5664 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/5664)

## Related
- [114-hr-6501: Prescription Drug and Medical Device Price Review Board Act of 2016](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6501)
- [114-hr-6450: Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6450)
- [114-hr-6447: Protecting Our Democracy Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6447)
- [114-hr-6318: Fair Pay for Presidential Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6318)
- [114-hr-6230: Social Security Safety Dividend Act of 2016](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6230)
- [114-hr-6073: Election Infrastructure and Security Promotion Act of 2016](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6073)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-5664 (as of 2025-11-18).