BREAKING: Tester Bill Expanding Protections for Military Families Impacted by COVID-19 Signed Into Law

Bipartisan legislation expands the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide additional legal protections for military families during the pandemic

U.S. Senator Jon Tester today celebrated his bipartisan bill amending the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to provide additional legal protections for servicemembers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis being signed into law.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Tester introduced commonsense legislation alongside Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kans.) earlier this year to expand SCRA protections to servicemembers who were previously issued orders to change duty stations but, due to the global pandemic, received a stop movement order and may have a housing or car lease in two different locations.

“Thousands of military families in Montana and across the country can breathe easy knowing they are finally entitled to the legal and consumer protections they deserve,” said Ranking Member Tester. “This law protects servicemembers from further bearing the brunt of this unprecedented crisis by making sure those with pending lease agreements and outstanding moving costs are not left to foot the bill. I thank Chairman Moran for working with me on this bipartisan measure that ensures our men and women in uniform are provided with the critical assistance they need and earned.”

Tester has led the effort to ensure servicemembers and their families in Montana are not left to cover housing payments at their current duty station and at their intended Permanent Change of Station. In May, he joined his House colleagues in calling on the Department of Defense to ease financial burdens facing servicemembers planning to relocate as a result of the stop movement order issued due to COVID-19.

A copy of the bill can be found HERE.