Portman, Warren Applaud Senate Passage of Proposal to Enhance Financial Protections for Gold Star Spouses and Spouses of Injured Servicemembers in NDAA Conference Report

Statement

Today, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jon Tester (D-MT), Martha McSally (R-AZ), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Todd Young (R-IN) applauded the U.S. Senate's passage of the bipartisan Gold Star Spouses and Spouses of Injured Servicemembers Leasing Relief Expansion Act as part of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report. The conference report will now head to the president's desk for his signature.

Portman, Warren, Tillis, Jack Reed (D-RI), and Sinema introduced the legislation in April, and Fischer and McSally joined them as co-sponsors. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL) and Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) are the lead sponsors of companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

"Military spouses dealing with the death or catastrophic disability of a loved one as the result of their service should have the ability to end leases without incurring high termination fees," said Senator Portman. "I'm glad this bipartisan bill was included in the Senate-passed NDAA conference report as it will provide much-needed relief for these families."

"Military families make incredible sacrifices in service to our country and we must do our part to make sure they have the resources and support they need," said Senator Warren. "I'm glad that Congress adopted our bipartisan proposal to strengthen financial protections for military spouses."

"Military spouses play a vital role in supporting our servicemembers and often handle signing a lease for a home or automobile when servicemembers receive orders to relocate," said Senator Tillis. "I'm proud that the final NDAA includes our bipartisan proposal to provide military spouses with relief and financial protections to help them during an incredibly difficult time."

"Military families sacrifice so much for our country," said Senator McSally. "Gold Star families and spouses of catastrophically injured service members pay an immeasurable price. As they face their grief and overwhelming challenges from their loss, the least we can do is free them from car and residential leases. It is great to see our bipartisan legislation providing that relief will be signed into law in the NDAA."

Military families may relocate frequently or suddenly as the result of a servicemember's military orders, and these moves often involve entering into leases for a house, apartment, or other dwelling, or an automobile. If a servicemember dies or sustains a catastrophic injury or illness during military service, his or her spouse may be forced to pay off the remainder of that residential or automobile lease or face a penalty for breaking the lease.

The bipartisan Gold Star Spouses and Spouses of Injured Servicemembers Leasing Relief Expansion Act amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to expand existing financial protections for military families' residential and car leases in the following ways:

· Allows the spouse of a servicemember who died while in military service to terminate a motor vehicle lease during the one-year period beginning on the date of the death of the servicemember, if that servicemember died while in military service or while performing full-time National Guard duty, active Guard and Reserve duty, or inactive-duty training.

· Allows the spouse of a servicemember who sustained a catastrophic injury or illness to terminate a residential lease AND a motor vehicle lease during the one-year period beginning on the date of the injury or illness of the servicemember, if that servicemember sustained the injury or illness while in military service or while performing full-time National Guard duty, active Guard and Reserve duty, or inactive-duty training.

This is the second Portman-Warren bill signed into law. The first, the Gold Star Spouses Leasing Relief Act, was included in the omnibus Veterans Benefits and Transition Act and allows Gold Star spouses to terminate a residential lease within one year of a servicemember's death.