[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 171 (Thursday, November 19, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S8165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Graham):
  S. 2331. A bill to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to make 
invalid and unenforceable predispute arbitration agreements with 
respect to controversies arising under 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.
  Today, I am joined by 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 our colleagues to join us in supporting this improvement to 
the SCRA, which will better protect our military families while the men 
and women of our Armed Forces protect our nation.

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