PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 1500: Consumers First Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 1500: Consumers First Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-03-05 · Finance and Financial Sector · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-03-05 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 7 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 222 (2019): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR1500 (2019-05-22), Failed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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

Consumers First Act

Plain summary

Consumers First Act This bill revises provisions related to the administration of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). (Sec. 3) The bill amends all statutory references to the "Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection" to refer instead to the "Consumer Financial Protection Bureau." (Sec. 5) Specified units, offices, and boards of the CFPB must perform their assigned duties and may not be renamed or reorganized. The bill establishes requirements for staffing levels, political appointees, and the publication of consumer complaints regarding consumer financial products or services. The bill reinstates specified agreements between the CFPB and the Department of Education regarding the sharing of information and oversight related to federal student loans. The CFPB rule regarding the use of arbitration agreements in contracts for specific consumer financial products and services is reinstated. This rule prohibits the use of a predispute arbitration agreement to prevent a consumer from filing or participating in certain class action suits. The rule also requires consumer financial product and service providers to furnish the CFPB with particular information regarding arbitrations. (Sec. 6) The bill specifically states the duties of the Office of Fair Lending and Equal Opportunity (under current law, these are delegated by the CFPB Director). It also adds the duty to implement enforcement and supervisory authority regarding the fair lending laws. The Office of Students and Young Consumers is established in the CFPB. (Sec. 7) Membership requirements for the Consumer Advisory Board are revised, including by requiring representatives of service members and veterans. Board meeting requirements are also revised, including by requiring in person meetings and extending the terms of certain board members. (Sec. 8) The bill also decreases the cap on the surplus funds of the Federal Reserve banks. (Amounts exceeding this cap are deposited in the general fund of the Treasury.) (Sec. 9) The bill revises the required public disclosures made by a depository institution or a credit union regarding mortgages and home equity lines of credit. Specifically, institutions originating fewer than 500 mortgage loans or open-end lines of credit are no longer exempt from certain financial reporting. (Sec. 10) The bill limits available exemptions from certain housing mortgage disclosures and prohibits the CFPB from modifying or discontinuing certain mortgage reporting tools. (Sec. 13) The CFPB must report monthly on fair lending investigations and enforcement actions. (Sec. 14) The CFPB must report quarterly on debt collection complaints and enforcement actions. (Sec. 15) The bill provides for free annual consumer credit scores. (Sec. 16) The CFPB must report annually on consumer complaints by senior consumers and provide recommendations to improve protections for these consumers. (Sec. 17) The CFPB must report quarterly on payday loan and car title loan investigations and enforcement actions.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed 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.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Consumers First Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] · 29 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 1500, Consumers First Act (2019-05-08)

Cosponsors on this site

Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Al Green (D-TX), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), James A. Himes (D-CT), Bill Foster (D-IL), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Alma S. Adams (D-NC), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] reported raising $1.1 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (4)
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.
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Statute
A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr1500 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116