3.0.0 646 2023-01-11T13:36:15Z 2023-01-11T13:36:15Z Senate S 2017-03-15 115 ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Standing Referred to 2017-03-15T18:23:10Z Justice for Servicemembers Act of 2017 115 2631 HR 2017-06-29 Subcommittee Hearings Held. Related bill CRS 2017-03-15 ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. IntroReferral 2017-03-15 Introduced in Senate IntroReferral 10000 9 Library of Congress B001277 Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] Richard Blumenthal D CT N H001042 Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] Mazie Hirono D HI K. 2017-03-15 True F000457 Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN] Al Franken D MN 2017-03-15 True D000563 Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] Richard Durbin D IL J. 2017-03-15 True W000802 Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] Sheldon Whitehouse D RI 2017-03-15 True G000555 Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] Kirsten Gillibrand D NY E. 2017-10-31 False Armed Forces and National Security Administrative remedies Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration Civil actions and liability Disability and paralysis Employment discrimination and employee rights Evidence and witnesses Government liability Government studies and investigations Housing finance and home ownership Interest, dividends, interest rates Jurisdiction and venue Lawyers and legal services Lease and rental services Licensing and registrations Merit Systems Protection Board Military personnel and dependents Motor vehicles National Guard and reserves Separation, divorce, custody, support Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation Armed Forces and National Security 00 2017-03-15 Introduced in Senate 2018-02-07T20:54:59Z Justice for Servicemembers and Veterans Act of 2017

This bill authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ) to initiate an action for relief in a service member's employment or reemployment rights action with respect to: (1) a private or state employer, or (2) a state or private employer that is engaged in a pattern or practice to infringe upon such rights.

The bill provides that: (1) a person may bring an action against a state, state instrumentality, or state officer or employee acting in his or her official capacity in U.S. district court or state court (currently, only in state court), and (2) the state employer shall not be immune from such action under the Eleventh Amendment or under any other doctrine of sovereign immunity.

No such state, instrumentality, officer, or employee that receives or uses federal financial assistance for a program or activity shall be immune under the Eleventh Amendment or under any other doctrine of sovereign immunity from suit in federal or state court for any employment rights violation related to such program or activity.

The bill expands judicial venues for an action against a private employer.

DOJ may issue civil investigative demands in the enforcement of employment and reemployment rights of members of uniformed services with respect to states and private employers.

Service-related disability coverage is extended.

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is amended to revise protective provisions for service members regarding: (1) default judgments, including the requirement that a court shall not enter a judgment until it appoints an attorney for the defendant; (2) termination of residential and motor vehicle leases upon relocation; (3) DOJ issuance of civil investigative demands; and (4) vacating or setting aside judgments.

The bill provides for the portability of professional licenses of service members and their spouses who are relocated under military orders.

]]> Justice for Servicemembers and Veterans Act of 2017 Display Title Justice for Servicemembers and Veterans Act of 2017 Official Title as Introduced A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the enforcement of employment and reemployment rights of members of the uniformed services, to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to improve the protection of members of the uniformed services, and for other purposes. Introduced in Senate IS Short Titles as Introduced Justice for Servicemembers and Veterans Act of 2017 Introduced in Senate 2017-03-15T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-115s646is/xml/BILLS-115s646is.xml 2017-03-15 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.