Bill to Strengthen Protections for Vets, Service Members

Senator Patty Murray (Wash.), who chairs the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced legislation (S. 2299) in response to reports that the rights of veterans and service members are being violated. The “Servicemembers’ Rights Enforcement Improvement Act” seeks to strengthen the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA).  

USERRA secures Reserve Component employment rights during periods of military service and prohibits employer discrimination based upon military service. If enacted, the bill would:

• Enable the Attorney General to investigate and file suit against a pattern or practice of USERRA violations by a state or private employer; 
• Allow the United States to serve as a named plaintiff in USERRA suits and to issue civil investigative demands for relevant documentary material; and
• Provide the Special Counsel with authority to subpoena relevant testimony and documents from federal employees and agencies.

The bill also clarifies SCRA provisions by:

• Strengthening the protections that prevent judgments against servicemembers when they cannot appear in court because of military service;
• Broadening the authority of the Attorney General to investigate allegations of SCRA violations; and
• Spelling out the rights of service members to bring a private law suit to assert their SCRA rights.

Over the past year, the House Veterans Affairs Committee held hearings on banks that violated SCRA by charging higher-than-allowed mortgage interest rates and foreclosing on deployed service members’ homes. Members are urged to use the FRA Action Center and ask their senators to support this legislation.