STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 57 (Thursday, March 26, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 57 (Thursday, March 26, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S1672-S1673] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS By Mr. DURBIN: S. 4244. A bill to amend chapter 423 of title 49, United States Code, to provide protections with respect to frequent flyer programs and co- branded credit cards, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. S. 4244 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Protect Your Points Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. PROTECTIONS RELATING TO FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMS AND CO-BRANDED CREDIT CARDS. (a) In General.--Chapter 423 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``SEC. 42309. PROTECTIONS RELATING TO FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMS AND CO-BRANDED CREDIT CARDS. ``(a) Protections Related to Points, Miles, and Other Accrued Value.-- ``(1) Value disclosure.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, each covered air carrier shall-- ``(A) prominently display on each page of the website and mobile application of the air carrier information regarding the financial value of one point, mile, or other accrued value promised or offered in connection with a frequent flyer program; ``(B) in the case that any such financial value differs between various co-branded credit cards, or tiers or iterations of loyalty programs, display information regarding each differing financial value in a central location on the website and mobile application of the air carrier; and ``(C) update, in real time, any change to the information displayed pursuant to subparagraph (A) or (B). ``(2) Expiration of points.--A covered air carrier shall not place an expiration date on any points, miles, or other accrued value promised or offered in connection with a frequent flyer program. ``(3) Transfer of points.-- ``(A) In general.--A covered air carrier shall-- ``(i) allow a consumer participating in a frequent flyer program to transfer any amount of points, miles, or other accrued value of the consumer to another participant (chosen by the consumer) of the same frequent flyer program; and ``(ii) guarantee that, with respect to any such transfer, the points, miles, or other accrued value remain equal in value once transferred. ``(B) Limitations.--A covered air carrier shall not-- ``(i) limit the number of points, miles, or other accrued value that a consumer may transfer to another participant of the frequent flyer program, except to protect a consumer from fraud or scams as prescribed by regulation; or ``(ii) impose a fee or other penalty on the consumer in connection with such transfer. ``(4) Fees for points.--A covered air carrier shall not impose a fee or other penalty on the consumer to access, use, redeem, or redeposit points, miles, or other accrued value. ``(5) Display of airfare value.-- ``(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, each covered air carrier shall display on any travel booking page of the website and mobile application of the air carrier-- ``(i) the cost of airfare or other ancillary fees both in dollar value and in the value of points, miles, or other accrued value promised or offered in connection with a frequent flyer program; and ``(ii) in the case that any cost described in clause (i) differs between various co-branded credit cards, or tiers or iterations of loyalty programs, information regarding each such differing cost. ``(B) Manner.--An air carrier shall display the information required under subparagraph (A) in a manner that-- ``(i) displays all costs described in such subparagraph concurrently; and ``(ii) does not require a consumer to alternate between methods to display such costs. ``(C) Updates.--An air carrier shall update, in real time, any change to the information required to be displayed under subparagraph (A). ``(6) Display of redemption rates.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, each covered air carrier shall-- ``(A) display on a page of the website and mobile application of the air carrier the percentage rate of points, miles, or other accrued value that consumers successfully used or redeemed in the preceding 12 months; and ``(B) update such percentage rate on an annual basis. ``(7) Airfare and ancillary fee transactions.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, each covered air carrier shall offer to consumers the ability to purchase airfare or other ancillary fees in any combination of dollars and points, miles, or other accrued value promised or offered in connection with a frequent flyer program. ``(8) Account security.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, each covered air carrier shall-- ``(A) require multi-factor authentication for access to a frequent flyer program account; and ``(B) implement other reasonable data security protections as the Secretary may require. ``(b) Consumer Notice of Changes to Terms of Service.-- ``(1) Changes to terms of services.--With respect to the terms of service, contract of carriage, or other customer agreement of any frequent flyer program or airline co-branded credit card of a covered air carrier, the covered air carrier shall not include any provision that reserves the right of the covered air carrier to make changes to the terms of service, contract of carriage, or other customer agreement without providing to the consumer at least 1 year of notice of any such change. ``(2) Notice to consumers.--A covered air carrier shall not take any action that would allow the covered air carrier to devalue a consumer's accrued points, miles, or other accrued value promised or offered in connection with a frequent flyer program, including any action to decrease the dollar value, eliminate, reduce, suspend, forfeit, invalidate, impose new limits on the access, use, redemption, or validity, or impose new requirements or expense for the redemption or use of any such points, miles, or other accrued value unless the covered air carrier has provided to consumers not fewer than 1 year of notice of any such action. ``(3) Coordination with cfpb and ftc.--In carrying out paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary shall coordinate with the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Commissioners of the Federal Trade Commission, as necessary. ``(c) Definitions.--In this section: ``(1) Ancillary fee.--The term `ancillary fee' means any fee paid for service that a consumer may add to a flight booking for an additional cost, or may purchase as an in- flight service, including seating options, baggage, beverages, food, early boarding, lounge access, internet or wifi access, or any other service determined appropriate by the Secretary. ``(2) Co-branded credit card.--The term `co-branded credit card' means a credit card jointly offered by a covered air carrier in partnership with a credit card issuer, with an emphasis on rewarding brand loyalty. ``(3) Covered air carrier.--The term `covered air carrier' means an air carrier (including any program partner of such air carrier or a foreign airline partnership that includes such air carrier) conducting passenger operations under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, that offers a frequent flyer program. ``(4) Frequent flyer program.--The term `frequent flyer program' means a program in which a covered air carrier promises or offers points, miles, or other accrued value for tickets purchased from the covered air carrier. ``(5) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Transportation. ``(d) Regulations.--The Secretary may issue such regulations as may be necessary to implement this section.''. (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 423 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 42308 the following: ``42309. Protections relating to frequent flyer programs and co-branded credit cards.''. ______ By Mr. PADILLA (for himself and Mr. Sheehy): S. 4271. A bill to amend title 5, United States Code, to provide rest and recuperation leave for employees engaged in wildland firefighting, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the bipartisan Support Our Firefighters Act. This bill would ensure that our Federal wildland firefighters are given the rest, recuperation, and compensation they deserve after working around the clock when disaster strikes. We have all seen the devastation, destruction, and loss that has occurred in communities across the country as wildfires grow in frequency and intensity. Last year, we saw the Eaton and Palisades fires destroy thousands of structures and take 31 lives, making them 2 of the worst fires in history. As a result of climate change, Californians have become all too familiar with wildfires. Containing them has proven to be a large undertaking that has required close local, State, and Federal coordination. Communities are able to make it through these horrific disasters thanks to the bravery and hard work of fire crews on the ground. During the LA [[Page S1673]] fires, firefighters from across the State, country, and even abroad answered our call for support, and it is thanks to their hard work and bravery that more structures, and most importantly more lives, were not lost. We owe it to these heroes to ensure they have the support and conditions they need to do their jobs safely and to ensure that they get fully paid for their courageous work. Specially, this legislation would provide 3 days of paid rest and recuperation leave after a 14-day period of work and 4 da

Referenced legislation: SJRES149, SJRES149, SJRES152, S4244, S4271