Title 15, Commerce and TradeRelease 119-110
§1671 Congressional Findings and Declaration of Purpose
Title 15 › CHAPTER 41 — CONSUMER CREDIT PROTECTION › SUBCHAPTER II — RESTRICTIONS ON GARNISHMENT › § 1671
Summary
Congress decided limits were needed on taking money from people’s paychecks. It found that unlimited wage takings lead to predatory lending, make workers pay too much and slow business between states, and can cause job loss that hurts commerce. Because state rules differ so much and break up uniform bankruptcy laws, Congress made federal rules to fix it.
Full Legal Text
Title 15, §1671
Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Disadvantages of garnishment
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)Necessity for regulation
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.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
15 U.S.C. § 1671
Title 15, Commerce and Trade
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110