The Improving Language Access in Mortgage Servicing Act (H.R. 3009) was introduced by Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) to help consumers with limited English proficiency have fair and equal mortgage lending access.
The bill passed the committee by a vote of 29-24.
If approved into law, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will provide language resources for mortgage lenders and servicing companies to better serve borrowers whose primary language is not English. This bill also would require relevant federal agencies to provide language resources to assist mortgage lenders and servicing companies to better meet the needs of borrowers.
“Sadly, for far too long, our communities have been left behind. Entire families have experienced the stress and difficulty that language barriers put on their shoulders when buying a home, accessing a loan, or engaging with loan servicing companies,” Garcia said in a release. “It is time to make language accessibility the norm and not the exception. H.R. 3009 is a step in that direction, and we will continue pushing this issue and improving the way our families interact with services and companies which deeply affect their lives and their capacity to thrive in our society.”
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) said he supports H.R. 3009.
“I’m a firm believer that we should be making it reasonably easier, not harder, for homebuyers to access the American dream. This is why introduced legislation last Congress to reinstate the language preference question on the Uniform Residential Loan Application to ensure fair and equitable access to home buying for all persons, regardless of their primary language,” Green said.
Cover Story: