Senate Passes Congresswoman Escobar's Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative Act of 2020

Press Release

The U.S Senate passed Congresswoman Veronica Escobar's (TX-16) bipartisan legislation to protect servicemembers, veterans, and their families and permanently establish the Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative (SVI) within the Justice Department (DOJ)'s Civil Rights Division. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will now head to President Donald Trump's desk.

The Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative Act of 2020, ensures that the SVI, which started as an independent DOJ initiative in 2015, remains a permanent part of the Justice Department. Since 2015, the SVI has coordinated and expanded DOJ's work to enforce statutes created to protect the legal interests and rights of servicemembers and their families. Congresswoman Escobar's legislation updates and formalizes the SVI's mandate. Her bill mandates that the SVI will advise the Attorney General on legal and policy matters related to federal laws that protect servicemembers and veterans, serve as the liaison between DOJ and military departments, and serve as a liaison within DOJ to coordinate prosecution of fraud that targets servicemembers and their families.

"Our servicemembers and veterans have served our country and defended the freedoms we enjoy each day and we must do everything to meet their needs and protect them and their families from abuses such as fraud and predatory lending," said Congresswoman Escobar. "My Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative Act of 2020 upholds this moral responsibility by permanently establishing the Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative within the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, and I am proud to see this bipartisan legislation clear the final step on its way to becoming law. I am grateful to Senators Hirono and Ernst and Congressman Taylor for their commitment to our heroes and cooperation on this crucial piece of legislation."

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