Below is an official statement from Florida Senator Rick Scott regarding a bipartisan-supported bill introduced with Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Senator Rick Scott and Senator Jon Ossoff are introducing a bipartisan bill to lower costs for servicemembers and their families through their bipartisan SCRA Benefit Utilization Act to expand access to financial protections and benefits available to active duty service members and their families. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides legal and financial protections to active duty service members, including National Guard and reserve members, and their families; however, the benefit is often underutilized, according to a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report.
The bipartisan bill would expand existing financial literacy programs to include information about these protections, require the Department of Defense’s annual survey to include information about these programs, require benefit information on all activation orders, and require creditors to apply a 6 percent cap to all eligible accounts under their jurisdiction once a servicemember invokes their SCRA rights.
Senator Rick Scott said, “Our servicemembers who put everything on the line don’t deserve to be taken advantage of—especially when it comes to their financials. I am proud to join my colleague Senator Ossoff to lead the bipartisan SCRA Benefit Utilization Act that will provide more ease and access to the legal and financial protections our active duty members are entitled to for their personal, auto, and student loans, as well as increase financial literacy resources. We must continue to protect our servicemembers, especially as these brave Americans serve our country and protect our freedoms.”
Senator Jon Ossoff said, “Georgia’s servicemembers and their families deserve the very best, yet many are unaware of key benefits to help them save money. I’m introducing this new bipartisan bill to expand access to these key financial protections for our heroic service members and help them save money and build wealth.”
Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-08).
Congressman Matt Cartwright said, “Financial issues should not distract our brave men and women in uniform from their mission. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation identifies commonsense opportunities to improve benefit awareness, increase the likelihood of substantial financial savings, and enhance the overall readiness of our armed forces. I am grateful to Senators Ossoff and Scott for taking the lead on getting this vital legislation through the Senate.”
Click HERE to read the SCRA Benefit Utilization Act.
Since 2004, O’Hern has worked with political campaigns in roles ranging from major projects involving nationwide digital marketing for U.S. Presidential candidates, U.S. Congressmen, state governors, and state representatives. O’Hern’s journalism background includes news reporting and editing for various organizations and news publications in Alabama and Florida since 2002. O’Hern graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala with a degree in journalism and a minor in political science.