Kerry Introduces Legislation to Protect Military Service Members, Veterans from Foreclosure

Extends Deadline for Those Serving in Iraq and Afghanistan

Washington, DC – Senator John Kerry introduced legislation today to protect military service members from mortgage foreclosure, as America grapples with the housing crisis.  The legislation would protect service members and veterans involved in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by securing a longer grace period for payment. Kerry’s bill would extend the time from 90 days to one year.

“The thought of our men and women in uniform being thrown out of their homes because of mortgage foreclosures is miles beyond unacceptable. This bill protects those that protect us. The soaring and staggering foreclosure statistics are directly affecting Americans from all walks of life, and our military is not exempt from the pain. By extending the deadline to one year, I hope we can take one small step to prevent future joblessness and homelessness throughout the veteran’s community,” said Senator Kerry.

Kerry’s legislation comes after a recommendation from the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves to take preventative action.  The Commission found that the transition from military to civilian life extends well beyond the current timeline, which forces many service members to focus their attention on imminent foreclosure instead of first locating a competitive job or addressing any mental or physical health concerns that they may be facing.

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Kerry Housing Legislation Would Protect Military, Veterans from Foreclosure

Extending 6% Cap on Mortgage Interest and Protections from Foreclosure Will Help Military families Endure Housing Crisis, Sluggish Economy

Washington, DC – Facing a growing housing problem and a sub-prime mortgage crisis, Senator John Kerry introduced legislation today to help active duty service members and their families pay their home mortgages and avoid foreclosure.

The legislation would expand Service Member Civil Relief Act by extending the existing cap on mortgage interest rates of 6 percent from the current 90 days to one year after active duty service members return home.  It would also extend the existing protections from foreclosure from the current 90 days to one year after active duty service members return home.

“There’s a tragic disconnect in Washington between words spoken about keeping faith with veterans, and the actions taken to make those words count. We know that nearly 200,000 veterans are homeless on any given night and that the unemployment rate for young veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan has been as high as triple the national average. We need to act immediately to insure that our men and women in uniform who have sacrificed in Iraq and Afghanistan don’t lose their home to foreclosure or face skyrocketing mortgage interest rates,” said Kerry. “Helping military families avoid foreclosure helps keep America ’s promise to our military, protecting those who protect us.”

The Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) helps members of the military and their families deal with the special financial burdens associated with serving their country.  Current law caps interest at an annual rate of 6 percent from when a service member is called up to active duty to 90 days after they return home.  Current law also stops foreclosure proceedings against military families while the service member is called to active duty until 90 days after they return home.  Unfortunately, even with these protections, too many of our brave soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are returning to find that their homes are in danger of foreclosure due to the subprime crisis. 

Senator Kerry’s legislation would amend SCRA by extending the limit on foreclosure from 90 days to 1 year after service members have returned from active duty.  The bill would also extend the existing cap on mortgage interest at 6% for one year.  These changes will provide service members and their families with the protections they need to insure they do not lose their home due to their service to our nation. 

The recent report by the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves suggested that amending SCRA to extending the interest rate cap and protections against foreclosure would help service members and their families devote their full attention to serving our nation.

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Kerry, Snowe Secure Veterans Business Provisions on Defense Bill

WASHINGTON – Last night the Senate unanimously passed an amendment that will expand business opportunities for veterans and help reservists keep their businesses afloat during deployment. Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, sponsored the amendment to the Defense Department authorization bill. Senators Joe Lieberman (I/D-Conn.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) cosponsored the amendment.

“ America ’s veterans and reservists sacrifice for their country – they shouldn’t have to sacrifice their jobs and their livelihoods when they come home,” said Kerry. “This bipartisan amendment will provide critical resources to business development programs for our veterans and reservists and hold federal agencies accountable. We owe our troops more than a simple thank you. The least we can do is provide the resources they need to keep their businesses afloat while they’re deployed and to start a business when they return.”
 
“In recent years, our nation’s Guard and Reserve forces have selflessly answered the call to duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan ,” said Senator Snowe.   “In fact, there have been nearly 3,000 Guard and Reserve deployments from my home state of Maine to those two countries since September 11, 2001.  As our Reservists continue to answer our nation’s call to duty, we must similarly fulfill our responsibility to help protect their livelihoods back home.  This amendment takes a significant step toward achieving that goal.”

 
The amendment is based on legislation Senators Kerry and Snowe introduced earlier this year, the Military Reservist and Veteran Small Business Reauthorization and Opportunity Act (S. 1784). Specifically, the amendment will:

• Increase the authorization of appropriations for the Small Business Administration’s Office of Veteran Business Development; 

• Create an Interagency Taskforce on Veteran Small Business to focus on increasing veterans’ small business success, procurement and franchising opportunities, and access to capital;

• Make permanent the Advisory Committee on Veterans Business Affairs; 

• Allow the SBA Administrator to offer loans up to $50,000 without requiring collateral from a loan applicant; 

• Create National Reservist Enterprise Transition Teams through grants to Small Business Development Centers and other non-profits;

• Improve the Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan program by providing a longer application deadline; creating a pre-application loan approval process; expanding outreach and technical assistance; and raising the maximum loan amount; and

• Require a Government Accountability Office report on the needs of service-disabled veterans and how to improve relations between employers and reservist employees.

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Kerry Measure Adding $20 million to Vet Assistance Approved

Plan would give the VA ability to open new centers and hire additional staff

WASHINGTON – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) announced today that his request for an additional $20 million this year for mental health staffing assistance for VA vet centers was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Kerry asked for the additional funds earlier this month after hearing from a variety of organizations and veterans about the dire need to offer added counseling to struggling veterans.

“Our military has not been treated with respect by this administration,” Kerry said. “They are not getting the health or emotional care they need when they return from battle. These veterans earned their benefits in a noble way - through service to our country. This funding will help our returning servicemen from Iraq and Afghanistan receive the care they deserve.”

The Senate FY 2007 Supplemental Appropriations bill, which was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday, includes Kerry’s proposal to provide $20 million in critical funding to the nation’s Veteran’s Administration (VA) Centers. Veteran Centers provide readjustment counseling and outreach services to any veteran who has served in a combat zone.  Kerry’s additional funding will help cut waiting lists and ensure that VA Vet Center facilities are not forced to limit services as they respond to an increased workload caused by soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan .

Approximately one-third of the veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan seek help for mental health concerns from the VA.  According to published reports, the number of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who have sought help for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) services and readjustment concerns has doubled over the past year.  This increased caseload has forced many centers to limit services or establish waiting lists for needed services.  The National Military Family Association and the Vietnam Veterans of America support Kerry’s efforts to obtain additional funding for VA Vet centers.

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Kerry Fights for Funding for Blinded Veterans

WASHINGTON D.C. – Sen. John Kerry today introduced an amendment to the Senate Budget Resolution to increase funding for veterans who have been blinded or suffer from

.  JK has worked on this issue before and it’s a really good one for him.  30% of soldiers with traumatic brain injury come home with low vision or blindness yet they didn’t get any money.  We are going to offer an amendment which Kathy is working up now.  I can send around some good stats in a minute if we want to do press.  Also I spoke with my contact over at the Blinded Veterans of America and he was thrilled to hear we were doing this.   

I am introducing an amendment to the budget resolution to ensure that veterans that are blinded or have low-vision are taken care of.  Our brave men and women fighting in Iraq are injured by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at an alarmingly high rate.  The injuries sustained by IED’s often lead to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) which can have devastating affects.  A common result of this kind if trauma is vision loss and possible blindness, sometimes called Post Traumatic Vision Syndrome.  If these eye injuries are not treated in a timely manner it can lead to serious complications including irreversible vision loss.  We must ensure that our veterans are provided the best vision screening and vision care available.  All VA and DOD run medical facilities should have vision rehabilitation services to deal with the influx of soldiers coming home with eye injuries.  I hope you will support me in providing services to our low-vision and blinded veterans.    

-         Eye injuries are becoming more and more common in Iraq .  Data compiled between March 2003 and April 2005 found that 16 percent of all causalities evacuated from Iraq had direct eye injuries

-         Walter Reed Army Medical Center has surgically treated approximately 700 soldiers with either blindness or moderate-to-severe significant visual injuries.

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Kerry Welcomes New Leadership at Walter Reed

Vows to add $18 million to budget to improve VA Vet Center services

WASHINGTON – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) said today that he will immediately ask Congress to support $18 million for additional mental health staffing assistance for VA vet centers in the FY07 Emergency Supplemental.  Kerry believes this funding is critical to ensuring that our veterans, especially those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who represent a large percentage of Vet Center patients, get the care they deserve.  Lack of planning for the large influx of veterans has led to a shortfall, and given that approximately 30 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from some mental heath issue, increased staffing to meet these needs is vital.    

Inadequate staffing and misuse of funds has led to problems in the Defense Department’s handling of medical care for our soldiers as well. Kerry also said that he approved of the Pentagon’s decision this morning to fire Major General George Weightman, the Commanding General at Walter Reed. Kerry visited Walter Reed on Monday to inspect the facility and meet with soldiers in the wake of press reports in the Washington Post and Army Times.

“It’s been clear to me for a long time that America ’s heroes are not getting the type of care and attention they deserve,” Kerry said. “Now we see that even active duty military are sometimes treated as second-class citizens, housed in sub-standard facilities and subjected to unending bureaucracy. Those who have spoken out are even being told to keep quiet. This is unacceptable and it disrespects the sacrifice that our brave troops are making on behalf of every American. Walter Reed should have never been allowed to deteriorate to such a dangerous level and I’m relieved that there’s going to be new leadership. That alone won't get the job done. All of us in Congress will be watching closely to ensure the highest level of care for our soldiers.”

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Kerry Inspects Walter Reed, Demands Pentagon Improve Care of Wounded Military

Kerry Will Co-Sponsor Bill to Reduce Paperwork, Asks IRS for answers on questionable foundation

WASHINGTON - Senator John Kerry today called on the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration to address the poor living conditions, neglect, and red tape facing America 's veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital and elsewhere. Kerry said his visit to Walter Reed showed him a new coat of paint and other improvements but did little to reassure him that service members are getting the care they need after suffering injuries in Afghanistan and Iraq .

Kerry also said he was sending a letter to the IRS seeking answers on a foundation that raises money for injured servicemen.

On Monday, Kerry joined three Iraq war veterans to tour Building 18 of Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital to see the conditions and hear from the veterans and their families living there.  Kerry joined veterans Capt. Jonathan Powers, Program Manager for “War Kids Relief” at the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, Jon Soltz, head of VoteVets.org, and Brady Van Engelen, recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service in Iraq who spent 5 months as an outpatient at Walter Reed.

Kerry said he will co-sponsor legislation written by Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to fix many of the issues that cause long delays and bureaucratic burdens for military who come to Walter Reed to rehabilitate. The bill will simplify the paperwork process and increase the number of caseworkers for recovering soldiers, provide our veterans with psychological counseling, require more inspections of hospital facilities by the Inspector General, and establish a timeline for improving the neglected facilities.  The bill will also require regular reporting to Congress on: the total number of recovering soldiers at military hospitals; the number of caseworkers; the average waiting time for treatment; and the number of suicide attempts, accidental deaths or drug overdoses.

Below are Senator Kerry’s remarks as prepared for delivery: 

Kerry Joins Obama, McCaskill to Improve Conditions at Walter Reed Hospital  

Legislation will be aimed at helping patients with counseling, rehabilitation

WASHINGTON, DC – Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) announced today that he will co-sponsor legislation to improve the lives of recovering veterans at Walter Reed and other medical centers by eliminating paperwork and improving physical conditions. Kerry also said he would explore options for directing new funding to Walter Reed and to make immediate improvements to the buildings where veterans are housed. Kerry said he was “saddened” by a recent Washington Post series exposing poor sanitary conditions and other hurdles faced by injured veterans returning to the states after service in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with a story in the Army Times about 15 month delays facing vets seeking a physical evaluation. The sponsors of the legislation are Sens. Obama and McCaskill.

“We owe our returning veterans a debt of gratitude, not sub-standard treatment at an overcrowded medical facility,” said Kerry. “The Administration has consistently talked a big game but shortchanged the needs of veterans. How can the president talk about a troop escalation in Iraq while failing to keep faith with the Iraq War veterans we’ve already brought home? Brave men who have been blinded or lost a limb in Iraq should not be sitting in moldy, mouse-infested buildings. Period. It’s unacceptable and this Congress needs to do something about it.”

The legislation that Kerry is co-sponsoring would do the following:

• Simplify the paperwork process for recovering soldiers;

• Improve the ratio of caseworkers to recovering soldiers;

• Increase the training of caseworkers;

• Require more frequent IG inspections of hospital facilities and standards of care;

• Establish timelines and benchmarks for repairs to substandard facilities;

• Provide recovering soldiers with psychological counseling; and

• Require regular reporting to Congress on: the total number of recovering soldiers at military hospitals; the number of caseworkers; the average waiting time for treatment; and the number of suicide attempts, accidental deaths or drug overdoses.

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Kerry Will Pay Tribute to Oldest Massachusetts Veteran

WASHINGTON , DC – Sen. John Kerry said today that he will honor Antonio Pierro, who died last week at the age of 110. He would have turned 111 tomorrow and he was the oldest veteran in America and one of just seven remaining World War I veterans in the country.

Pierro’s life spanned 3 different centuries and his decision to fight on behalf of the United States in World War I, rather than for his birthplace of Italy , made him among the most unusual veterans in the country.

Pierro worked at a shoe plant, managed a body shop and eventually spent 17 years at General Electric in Lynn until his retirement in 1961.  His family attributes his longevity to his strict adherence to three square meals a day and lots of sleep.

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Kerry Stands With Iraqi War Vets Against Bush Escalation

Says US Troops Shortchanged on Equipment, Cheated by Contracting Fraud

WASHINGTON, DC – Sen. John Kerry today joined with veterans of the Iraq war as he called upon the Bush Administration to reconsider the “ill-conceived” escalation of the war in Iraq and demanded that Congressional Republicans agree to a full debate on the president’s planned escalation. Kerry made his comments during an appearance with members of the VoteVets group, which is lobbying members of Congress to stand against the Bush escalation plan. Kerry also said that he will push for a vote for his resolution setting a firm one-year deadline for the withdrawal of most US troops out of Iraq . That plan calls for an immediate diplomatic effort to engage the key players in the region, while simultaneously working with the Iraqi police forces to prepare them for assuming a greater role in the security of their country.

“This war is bad news and we should be looking at ways to bring it to an end, not escalate it by sending another 21,000 troops into Baghdad with no real plan for bringing about peace,” Kerry said today. “The problem in Iraq needs to be sorted out by Iraqis and our soldiers have no business trying to play referee in a nasty civil war between different factions. Nearly four years into this war, many of the men and women of our military are in Iraq without up-armored vehicles, without proper equipment, without sufficient radios or other supplies that they need to protect themselves. That’s simply unacceptable.”

Kerry noted that recent audits have shown that money intended to help stabilize Iraq instead went for – among other things – an Olympic size swimming pool, VIP trailers, vehicles that can’t be accounted for and a training camp for Iraqi police that hasn’t been used in months.

Congressman Lamar Smith

Veterans News Hour Daily recognizes Congressman Lamar Smith for his co-sponsorship of concurrent receipt legislation. Thank you Congressman for supporting Americas Disabled Veterans. We now hope that you and all your fellow co-sponsors will join together and strongly encourage President Bush to fund it. Access Congressman Lamar Smith's web site at: http://lamarsmith.house.gov/

The following excerpt is re-published from the Congressman's web site.
Congressman Lamar Smith has represented the residents of the 21st Congressional District since 1986. In the most recent election, he received the highest number of votes of any congressional candidate with major party opposition.  The respected magazine National Journal has named Congressman Smith one of the 100 most influential people in Washington, D.C.