H.R. 5664: Wage and Garnishment Equity Act of 2016

114th Congress · introduced 2016-07-07 · Finance and Financial Sector · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-07-07 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Wage and Garnishment Equity Act of 2016

Plain 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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Wage and Garnishment Equity Act of 2016

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr5664.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr5664 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114