[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 23 (Thursday, February 6, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. GRAHAM (for himself and Mr. Reed):
  S. 1999. A bill to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to 
require the consent of parties to contracts for the use of arbitration 
to resolve controversies arising under the contracts and subject to 
provisions of such Act and to preserve the rights of servicemembers to 
bring class actions under such Act, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, our Nation has a strong tradition of 
ensuring that our service members are protected while they serve To 
keep us safe. As the challenges facing our service members change, we 
must work to ensure that our laws continue to keep pace. In this 
regard, I have worked with my colleagues over the years to strengthen 
the protections for service members and their families under the 
Servicemember Civil Relief Act, SCRA.
  One such effort, the Servicemember Housing Protection Act, which I 
authored and was recently reported out of the Senate Veterans' Affairs 
Committee, would enhance protections relating to the housing needs of 
our service members. I am pleased that these provisions have also been 
included in legislation the Senate will hopefully soon take up, Senator 
Sanders's Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military 
Retirement Pay Restoration Act, which I have cosponsored. I urge my 
colleagues to support this critical legislation.
  Today, I am joining Senator Graham in introducing on a bipartisan 
basis legislation to further enhance SCRA protections. The SCRA Rights 
Protection Act seeks to protect service members from being forced to 
accept mandatory arbitration clauses as part of everyday transactions, 
such as those relating to mortgage origination, automobile leases, and 
student loans. Often service members sign contracts that include 
arbitration clauses buried in the fine print, and this eliminates their 
access to the courts, which can limit their ability to assert their 
rights and reach a fair resolution. In disputes involving SCRA rights, 
this bill would make arbitration clauses unenforceable unless all 
parties consent to arbitration after the dispute arises, and would also 
ensure that service members retain their right to join with other 
service members to file a case together as a class.
  I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting these improvements to 
the SCRA that will better protect our military families while the men 
and women of our Armed Forces protect our Nation.

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