Congressional Democrats may have a new target soon: Overdraft fees.

Sen. Chris Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, is drafting a bill that would require banks to get permission from customers before enrolling them in overdraft protection programs, the Washington Post reports.

The House is considering a similar bill, HR 1456.

The programs, which cover a bounced check or debit card transaction with what amounts to a short-term loan, have come under fire for their hefty fees.

Since 1999, the average overdraft fee from a major bank has gone from $10 to $35, according to a reportfrom Moebs Services. That's led to an increase in profits from $18 billion a decade ago to a projected $38.5 billion this year.

Economist Michael Moebs toldthe New York Times that 45 percent of the nation's banks and credit unions collect more from overdraft fees than they make in profits.

The fees can also go up because banks process larger checks and debit-card charges first, draining the account and racking up fees for each of the smaller charges.

The Federal Reserve, which decided in 2004 that the fees did not require prior approval, is also consideringrequiring customers to opt-in to overdraft protection.

-- Ryan Teague Beckwith, Congress.org