What act regulates discrimination in lending?

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) is the legislation that specifically addresses discrimination in lending practices. It prohibits lenders from discriminating against applicants based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or because they receive public assistance. The purpose of the ECOA is to ensure that all individuals have equal access to credit, regardless of background or personal characteristics.

While the Fair Housing Act does address discrimination in housing-related transactions, it focuses primarily on the sale or rental of housing rather than lending specifically. The Consumer Credit Protection Act and the Truth in Lending Act also do not pertain directly to discrimination in lending. Instead, they focus on various aspects of consumer credit, such as disclosure of terms and protecting consumers from unfair credit practices, but they do not explicitly prohibit discriminatory acts in the lending process like the ECOA does. This distinction is what makes the Equal Credit Opportunity Act the correct answer for this question.