[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2874 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2874

 To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to improve the equitable 
  relief available for servicemembers called to active duty, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 15, 2009

   Mr. Connolly of Virginia introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the 
   Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to improve the equitable 
  relief available for servicemembers called to active duty, and for 
                            other purposes.

    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 ``Helping Active Duty Deployed Act of 
2009''.

SEC. 2. TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF CERTAIN CONTRACTS.

    (a) Cellular Telephone Contracts.--Subsection (a) of section 305A 
of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 535A) is amended 
by inserting after ``entered into by the servicemember'' the following: 
``or on behalf of the servicemember''.
    (b) Residential and Motor Vehicle Leases.--Subsection (e) of 
section 305 of such Act (50 U.S.C. App. 535) is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(e) Arrearages and Other Obligations and Liabilities.--
            ``(1) Leases of premises.--Rent amounts for a lease 
        described in subsection (b)(1) that are unpaid for the period 
        preceding the effective date of the lease termination shall be 
        paid on a prorated basis. The lessor may not impose an early 
        termination charge, but any taxes, summonses, or other 
        obligations and liabilities of the lessee in accordance with 
        the terms of the lease, including reasonable charges to the 
        lessee for excess wear, that are due and unpaid at the time of 
        termination of the lease shall be paid by the lessee.
            ``(2) Leases of motor vehicles.--Lease amounts for a lease 
        described in subsection (b)(2) that are unpaid for the period 
        preceding the effective date of the lease termination shall be 
        paid on a prorated basis. The lessor may not impose an early 
        termination charge, but any taxes, summonses, title and 
        registration fees, or other obligations and liabilities of the 
        lessee in accordance with the terms of the lease, including 
        reasonable charges to the lessee for excess wear or use and 
        mileage, that are due and unpaid at the time of termination of 
        the lease shall be paid by the lessee.''.

SEC. 3. TUITION RELIEF FOR POSTSECONDARY STUDENTS CALLED TO MILITARY 
              SERVICE.

    Section 484C of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1091c) 
is amended--
            (1) in the header, by inserting ``and tuition relief'' 
        after ``readmission''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Tuition Relief for Students Called to Military Service.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), whenever a 
        student's absence from an institution of higher education is 
        necessitated by reason of service in the uniformed services, 
        the institution shall refund to such student the tuition and 
        fees paid by such student for the payment period or period of 
        enrollment for which such student did not receive academic 
        credit as a result of such absence.
            ``(2) Exceptions.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the 
        tuition or fees paid on behalf of the student--
                    ``(A) from scholarships awarded to the student by 
                the institution of higher education; or
                    ``(B) through funds awarded under this title.''.
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