Gold Star Spouses and Spouses of Injured Servicemembers Leasing Relief Expansion Act of 2019
Floor Speech
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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2227) to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to authorize spouses of servicemembers who incur a catastrophic injury or illness or die while in military service to terminate leases of premises and motor vehicles, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2227
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Gold Star Spouses and Spouses of Injured Servicemembers Leasing Relief Expansion Act of 2019''. SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF TERMINATION OF LEASES OF PREMISES AND MOTOR VEHICLES OF SERVICEMEMBERS WHO INCUR CATASTROPHIC INJURY OR ILLNESS OR DIE WHILE IN MILITARY SERVICE.
(a) Catastrophic Injuries and Illnesses.--Paragraph (4) of section 305(a) of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. 3955(a)), as added by section 545 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92), is amended to read as follows:
``(4) Catastrophic injury or illness of lessee.--
``(A) Termination.--If the lessee on a lease described in subsection (b) incurs a catastrophic injury or illness during a period of military service or while performing covered service, during the one-year period beginning on the date on which the lessee incurs such injury or illness--
``(i) the lessee may terminate the lease; or
``(ii) in the case of a lessee who lacks the mental capacity to contract or to manage his or her own affairs (including disbursement of funds without limitation) due to such injury or illness, the spouse or dependent of the lessee may terminate the lease.
``(B) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) The term `catastrophic injury or illness' has the meaning given that term in section 439(g) of title 37, United States Code.
``(ii) The term `covered service' means full-time National Guard duty, active Guard and Reserve duty, or inactive-duty training (as such terms are defined in section 101(d) of title 10, United States Code)''.
(b) Deaths.--Paragraph (3) of such section is amended by striking ``The spouse of the lessee'' and inserting ``The spouse or dependent of the lessee''.
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Mr. TAKANO. 2227, as amended.
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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2227, as amended, the Gold Star Spouses and Spouses of Injured Servicemembers Leasing Relief Expansion Act of 2019.
This bill was introduced by Representative Cheri Bustos of Illinois. I thank her for her work with the committee. It expands on the work the committee did last Congress with Representative Bustos to improve the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
This bill ensures that active and reserve component servicemembers and their spouses or dependents who are catastrophically injured while in service to this Nation have the ability to break their home and vehicle leases up to a year after their injury so that the family can modify their living situation to what best suits their new needs.
Servicemembers and families undergo difficult life transitions because of catastrophic injuries. Families should have the flexibility to be at their servicemember's side during recovery and the ability to easily move closer to family, friends, or other support networks.
Families dealing with the catastrophic injury of their loved ones should not have to worry about leases and cancellation fees.
Madam Speaker, this bill is an outgrowth of the bill Mrs. Bustos led last Congress and was the suggestion of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. It also clarifies similar legislation that passed in the National Defense Authorization Act last year.
H.R. 2227, as amended, would make it clear that catastrophically disabled servicemembers who have the mental capacity to terminate a lease may do so. It is not only spouses and dependents who are protected by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
Madam Speaker, I thank Dr. Wenstrup, a former member of this committee, for his focus on the issue and for working with Mrs. Bustos on this bill. I also thank the Paralyzed Veterans of America for highlighting the need to include catastrophically disabled veterans and families in our work to improve the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
Finally, I applaud the bipartisan work of Congressmen Levin and Bilirakis on this bill and their work on the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee.
I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 2227, as amended.
Mr. DAVID P. ROE of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 2227, as amended, the Gold Star Spouses and Spouses of Injured Servicemembers Leasing Relief Act of 2019.
This bill would build upon legislation enacted last Congress and in the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to allow a surviving spouse of a servicemember who died on active duty to terminate a property lease following the servicemember's death.
This bill would expand that allowance to include motor vehicle leases and provide the same protection for spouses of servicemembers who are catastrophically injured in service.
Madam Speaker, the last thing a husband or wife should have to worry about when their servicemember spouse dies or is grievously injured in service to our country are late fees or penalties for terminating a lease for a car or property. Ensuring that they don't have to is the very least we can do in exchange for their sacrifice.
I thank my colleagues, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos from Illinois, my friend Dr. Brad Wenstrup from Ohio, a fellow veteran and former senior committee member, as well as all the other Members of Congress who worked so hard on this bill in order to clarify these protections for these most deserving men and women.
I encourage and urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2227, as amended,
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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers.
Mr. DAVID P. ROE of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup), my good friend, and Iraq war veteran. I commend him on his work on this bill.
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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I associate myself with the remarks of the ranking member. A catastrophic medical condition associated with someone who has worn the uniform of our Nation in service of our Nation should not also be accompanied by his family or her family needing to worry about paying off a lease on a home or a car.
The law of the United States should reflect the gratitude that the people have for a servicemember's service to our country. This is the right thing to do, and I encourage all of my colleagues to, again, join me in passing H.R. 2227, as amended.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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