ENFORCEMENT OF EQUAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY ACT.

SEC. 223. ENFORCEMENT OF EQUAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY ACT. (a) Pattern or Practice.— Section 706(g) of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (15 U.S.C. 1691e(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: “Each agency referred to in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 704(a) shall refer the matter to the Attorney General whenever the agency has reason to believe that 1 or more creditors has engaged in a pattern or practice of discouraging or denying applications for credit in violation of section 701(a). Each such agency may refer the matter to the Attorney General whenever the agency has reason to believe that 1 or more creditors has violated section 701(a).”. (b) Damages.— Section 706(h) of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (15 U.S.C. 1691e(h)) is amended by inserting “actual and punitive damages and” after “including”. (c) Notice to HUD.— Section 706 of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (15 U.S.C. 1691e) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(k) Notice to HUD of Violations.— Whenever an agency referred to in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section 704(a)— “(1) has reason to believe, as a result of receiving a consumer complaint, conducting a consumer compliance examination, or otherwise, that a violation of this title has occurred; “(2) has reason to believe that the alleged violation would be a violation of the Fair Housing Act; and “(3) does not refer the matter to the Attorney General pursuant to subsection (g), the agency shall notify the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development of the violation, and shall notify the applicant that the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development has been notified of the alleged violation and that remedies for the violation may be available under the Fair Housing Act.”. (d) Appraisals.— Section 701 of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (15 U.S.C. 1691) is amended by adding at the end the following: “(e) Each creditor shall promptly furnish an applicant, upon written request by the applicant made within a reasonable period of time of the application, a copy of the appraisal report used in connection with the applicant’s application for a loan that is or 105 STAT. 2307would have been secured by a lien on residential real property. The creditor may require the applicant to reimburse the creditor for the cost of the appraisal.”.