{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-cosponsors-legislation-to-stop-predatory-payday-lending-practices", "Heinrich Cosponsors Legislation to Stop Predatory Payday Lending Practices", "2024-12-04", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) cosponsored the Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic (SAFE) Lending Act, legislation that will safeguard consumers from predatory payday lending practices.\n\n\u201cPart of building an economy that benefits working people means cracking down on predatory lending practices that put folks into an endless cycle of debt,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cWith an incoming administration hellbent on weakening consumer protections, we need to ensure states have the tools needed to help consumers better protect themselves against abusive lending practices.\u201d\n\nPredatory payday lenders have flourished online despite laws passed by many states, including New Mexico, to stop abusive lending. Internet lenders hide behind layers of anonymously registered websites and \u201clead generators\u201d to evade enforcement and can empty consumers\u2019 bank accounts before they have a chance to assert their rights.\n\nSpecifically, the SAFE Lending Act would:\n\nThe legislation is led by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). Alongside Heinrich, the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.). In the House, the legislation is led by U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.).\n\nThe SAFE Lending Act is endorsed by the National Consumer Law Center, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Main Street Alliance, U.S. PIRG, UnidosUS, Greenlining Institute, and National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-cosponsors-legislation-to-stop-predatory-payday-lending-practices"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4106468297541142, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}