WASHINGTON -- The Senate is scheduled to take up amendments to the Fair Credit Reporting Act Today, and bank lobbyists have begun to worry that the bill could become a vehicle for a variety of amendaments that they opposes.
"It could be a real mess," said Edward l. Yingling, chief lobbyist for the American Bankers Association. "They have no time agreement [limiting debate], and members could decide it's the last chance to get amendments passed."
One amendment germane to the bill is ready stirring opposition from bankers. The bill's managers are expected to offer a measure that would set a five year limit on a provision pre-empting the right of states to pass tougher fair credit laws of their own.
Bankers insist that pre-emption must part of the bill to ensure that nationwide financial institutions won't have to comply with a patchwork quilt of 50 seperate laws.
Right now, the Senate bill contains " a few positives," said Mr. Yingling. "But what good are they if some states can come along in five years and overrule all of the things in the bill that are positive."
Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., chairman of the Senate Banking subcommittee that hammered out the legislation, had threatened to try to attach the controlversial measure as an amendment to the interstate0 branching bill that passed the Senate last week. He deferred after he was promised floor time this week.
The House is considering a different version of the fair credit bill. Democrats in that chamber are waiting to see what happens to the Senate bill before moving their own measure.
