To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to require that the Department of Defense notify the creditors of persons in military service and persons entering military service, and for other purposes.

September 8, 2005

Mr. RYAN of Ohio (for himself and Mr. MEEK of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to require that the Department of Defense notify the creditors of persons in military service and persons entering military service, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Ease Our Soldiers' Minds Act'.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF ACT.

(a) In General- Section 105 of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (Public Law 108-189) is amended--

(1) in the heading for the section, by striking `of benefits' and inserting `with respect to benefits';

(2) by inserting `(a) Notification of Benefits to Servicemember- ' before `The Secretary'; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

`(b) Notification to Creditors-

`(1) SUBMISSION OF INFORMATION- In providing the notice under subsection (a) to a person, the Secretary concerned shall request that the person submit information relating to the creditors of such person not later than the following date, as applicable:

`(A) In the case of a person entering military service, within a reasonable time period but not later than 30 days after the date on which the person enters such service.

`(B) In the case of a person in military service, within a reasonable time period but not later than 30 days after the date on which the person receives the request from the Secretary.

`(2) NOTIFICATION TO CREDITORS- In the case of the creditors for which a person provides information under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall ensure that notice of the benefits accorded by this Act to the person is provided in writing to such creditors, within a reasonable time period but not later than 30 days after the date on which the person submits the information.

`(3) ADDITIONAL CREDITORS- After the initial submission of information under paragraph (1) by a person, if the person submits to the Secretary concerned information on additional creditors of the person, the Secretary shall provide a notice described in paragraph (2) to such creditors.

`(4) NOTIFICATION TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES- Promptly after the date of the enactment of the Ease Our Soldiers' Minds Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that notification of the benefits accorded by this Act is provided in writing to all consumer reporting agencies that compile and maintain files on consumers on a nationwide basis (as defined in section 603(p) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681a(p)).'.

END