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A provision requiring the Department of Defense to delay implementation of proposed Military Lending Act rule changes was included in a defense authorization bill released Monday by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas.

The study would have to show the impact on troop readiness from access to and use of various financial products, including payday loans and installment loans. The MLA rule review would have to summarize the comments received regarding the proposal and their disposition. It would address the staffing, funding and integrity of the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) database, which all creditors would be required to use to check the potential active-duty military status of virtually every person submitting a credit application under the proposed rule changes.

The study report would be due to Congress March 1, 2016. DoD would be barred from implementing this or undertaking related rulemaking for 60 days following Congress' receipt of the report.

The committee will mark up the legislation Wednesday.

The proposed rule was issued last year, and NAFCU lodged serious concerns about its impact on credit unions and credit union members. The association has been engaged with DoD rule writers throughout the rulemaking process.

"NAFCU has always supported protecting servicemembers from unscrupulous predatory lenders, but it's important that any rules affecting access to credit be approached in a very deliberate fashion," said NAFCU Military Liaison Quincy Enoch. "Credit unions have always provided servicemembers the best financial services, and we are focused on ensuring their ability to keeping doing that isn't negatively impacted."