Two bills introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA) to support United States military veterans, active service members, and their families received approval on Sept. 14 from the U.S. House of Representatives as part of a larger bill.
“Right now, our military is struggling to recruit and retain active duty service members,” said Rep. Garcia. “Our military personnel and their families are put through more than most, leading many to leave the service. This is an issue that is critical to our national security and must be resolved.”
Rep. Garcia in October 2021 cosponsored the bipartisan, bicameral Emergency Relief for Servicemembers Act of 2021, H.R. 5752, with U.S. Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA). The bill would authorize the termination of a telephone, multichannel video programming, or internet access service contract held by a service member who receives military orders for permanent change of station but then receives a stop movement order due to an emergency situation, according to the text of the bill. The same-named companion bill, S. 3084, was simultaneously introduced by U.S. Reps. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND).
In April 2021, Rep. Garcia sponsored the bipartisan, bicameral Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act of 2021, H.R. 2650, which gained 33 cosponsors. The bill would make the professional licenses held by service members and their spouses portable so that when they are relocated due to military orders the licenses are still valid outside of the jurisdiction that issued them, according to the bill’s text. The Senate version, S. 1084, was sponsored by U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT).
Both of Rep. Garcia’s bills passed the House as a part of the Student Veteran Emergency Relief Act of 2022, H.R. 7939, introduced on June 3 by Rep. Levin and U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) to make permanent certain educational assistance benefits under the laws administered by the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the case of changes to courses of education by reason of emergency situations, the bill’s text says.
“The passage of this legislation will help recruit and retain more service members and is the least we can do for these heroes, their families, and veterans,” Rep. Garcia said. “I’ll never stop fighting to ensure our military personnel and their families are properly taken care of.”
The U.S. Senate on Sept. 15 received the larger bill for consideration.