Washington, DC - Late last night, the US House approved a measure written by Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) that would expand and improve protections against home foreclosure for American military veterans. Braley is the highest ranking Democrat on the House Veterans Affairs' Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. The measure was approved with overwhelming bipartisan support.
"The last thing a servicemember should be worrying about while fighting for us overseas is whether a bank is foreclosing on their family's home," Braley said. "The recession and housing crisis have been hard on many military men and women. Military families are required to move from place to place, and many have been left underwater in homes that are no longer worth what they used to be. Veterans deserve a fair shot at getting their financial house in order when they come home. This bill provides protections against aggressive banks."
Military homeowners have faced unique challenges during the recession. Military families who would otherwise remain current on their mortgages are often forced to move because the military requires them to. Because of the housing downturn, military families are often unable to sell their homes quickly at prices that will enable them to pay off their mortgages. Many military families are also forced to make ends meet with lower housing allowances at their next duty stations, and they can lose the incomes of non-military spouses when they move. Overseas deployments further complicate the financial picture.
To help protect military veterans while they're deployed overseas, banks are prohibited from initiating foreclosure proceedings against veterans returning from service abroad for a period of 9 months after they return.
Braley's bill, the Protecting Veterans' Homes Act, would expand this foreclosure protection to one year from the date of a servicemember's return from a deployment.
The Protecting Veterans' Homes Act was included in a broader bill, HR 1263, that expands and reforms mortgage protections for American veterans and their spouses. The legislation passed the House unanimously.
Video of Braley speaking in support of the Protecting Veterans' Homes Act can be viewed at the following links:
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Downloadable video for TV broadcast: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/
