HEROES Act Provides Broad Consumer Protections to Servicemembers Affected by Pandemic

May 12, 2020

Provisions in The HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) offers servicemembers the ability to terminate home and vehicle leases who are affected by the Department of Defense’s Stop Movement Order.

The legislation also allows servicemembers to cancel cable, internet, and phone contracts without penalty. These provisions extend to military families of which a servicemember has been killed or catastrophically injured.

The $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill was unveiled by House Democrats on Wednesday.

In addition to currently active military members, The HEROES Act also provides security and assistance to veterans. This includes expanding healthcare to all veterans who lost coverage due to the pandemic, support for homeless veterans, and debt collection relief.

Veteran unemployment is currently at 12 percent.

“The Heroes Act is critical,” said House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano in a press release. “By supporting homeless veterans, suspending debt collection, expanding health coverage, and caring for our most vulnerable, we can help ensure that those who have served our country have an opportunity to succeed.”

The HEROES Act provides close to $1 trillion to state, local, territorial and tribal government to pay essential workers, $175 billion in housing assistance, as well as another round of $1,200 direct payments to individuals.

Read a full summary of the legislation here.

Photo by Graeme Jennings/ Getty Images

May 12, 2020

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