[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3173 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3173

To amend the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 and title 
       38, United States Code, to improve benefits for veterans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 25, 2001

  Mr. Gutierrez (for himself and Mr. Evans) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 and title 
       38, United States Code, to improve benefits for veterans.

    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 ``Servicemembers and Military Families 
Financial Protection Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM MONTHLY LEASE AMOUNT FOR PROTECTIONS UNDER 
              SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' CIVIL RELIEF ACT OF 1940.

    (a) Increase in Maximum Monthly Lease Amount for SSCRA 
Protection.--Subsection (a) of section 300 of the Soldiers' and 
Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 (50 U.S.C. 530) is amended by 
striking ``$1,250'' and inserting ``$1,950''.
    (b) Technical Amendments.--Such section is further amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``wife'' and inserting 
        ``spouse''; and
            (2) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) by striking ``he'' and inserting ``the 
                Secretary''; and
                    (B) by striking ``wife'' and inserting ``spouse''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to actions of eviction or distress that are 
commenced on or after the date of the enactment of this Act and to such 
actions that are commenced before such date that are not final as of 
such date.

SEC. 3. AUTHORITY FOR OPTIONAL INCREASE IN MAXIMUM COVERAGE UNDER 
              SERVICEMEMBERS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE AND VETERANS' GROUP 
              LIFE INSURANCE.

    (a) Maximum Under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance.--(1) 
Section 1967(a)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``subparagraphs (B) 
        and (C)'' and inserting ``subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D)''; 
        and
            (B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(D) A member may elect in writing to be insured in an amount 
greater than the amount provided for under subparagraph (A). The amount 
of insurance so elected shall be in the amount of $500,000, $750,000, 
or $1,000,000. Any such election must be made within 30 days of 
becoming eligible for insurance under this subchapter, except that such 
an election may be made later, while eligible for such insurance, upon 
written application, proof of good health, and compliance with such 
other terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the Secretary.''.
    (2) Section 1969 of such title is amended--
            (A) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); and
            (B) by inserting after subsection (g) the following new 
        subsection (h):
    ``(h)(1)During any period in which a member has insurance coverage 
under this chapter in an amount greater than the amount provided for 
under subparagraph (A) of section 1967(a)(3) of this title by reason of 
an election under subparagraph (D) of that section and the member is on 
active duty, there shall be deducted each month from the member's basic 
or other pay until separation or release from active duty an amount 
determined by the Secretary as the premium allocable to the pay period 
for providing that insurance coverage.
    ``(2)(A) The Secretary shall determine the premium amounts to be 
charged for life insurance coverage described in paragraph (1).
    ``(B) The premium amounts shall be determined on the basis of sound 
actuarial principles and shall include an amount necessary to cover the 
administrative costs to the insurer or insurers providing such 
insurance.
    ``(C) Each premium rate for the first policy year shall be 
continued for subsequent policy years, except that the rate may be 
adjusted for any such subsequent policy year on the basis of the 
experience under the policy, as determined by the Secretary in advance 
of that policy year.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect at the end of the 60-day period beginning the date of the 
enactment of this Act. In the case of any person covered by 
Servicemembers Group Life Insurance on the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the 30-day period specified in section 1967(a)(3)(D) of title 
38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1)(B), shall be 
deemed to begin at the end of such 60-day period.
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