Rep. Turner reintroduces legislation preserving consumers' access to paper bank statements

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) has reintroduced the “Protecting Against Paperless and Electronic Requirement (PAPER) Act”. This legislation prohibits financial institutions from forcing customers to use electronic bank statements instead of paper statements.

“Financial institutions have an obligation to ensure that Americans can utilize the banking services they need,” said Congressman Mike Turner. “For many Americans, online bank statements may not be a viable alternative to paper statements. The PAPER Act would bar financial institutions from restricting services based on a customer’s preference for paper statements, making certain that all Americans can participate in our banking system in a way that works best for them.”

“Representative Turner’s bill rightly pushes back against banks requiring customers to go fully digital to retain online account access, as seen in Citibank’s pilot program in 2023. This trend risks excluding 20% of U.S. households without internet access and disproportionately affects seniors,” said Ed Cates, Chairman of The Senior Citizens League. “We believe that every American should have the right to access their financial records in a format that works for them. The PAPER Act ensures this choice remains available.”

Background

The PAPER Act requires financial institutions to give customers the option to receive paper statements and prohibits banks from requiring paperless or electronic statements to use any other services offered.

Banks are aggressively advocating for customers to go paperless. These tactics constitute significant barriers for many senior citizens and individuals who do not have access to the internet.

In 2023, 12% of U.S. households had no internet access according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Internet Use Survey. Despite this, banks are increasingly providing paperless statements only. The PAPER Act allows all Americans to access their banking information, regardless of their geographic location or socio-economic status.