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Representative Adriano Espaillat Re-Introduces the Protect Veteran Students, Job Seekers, and Entrepreneurs Housing Act
Espaillat Bill Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to Provide Greater Housing Protections for Veterans the Their Families
NEW YORK, NY – Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) re-introduced the Protect Veteran Students, Job Seekers, and Entrepreneurs Housing Act, a bill that would enhance the housing security and stability of veterans and their families.
“I am committed to ensuring that our veterans receive the support and services they deserve after their honorable service and dedication to our nation,” said Rep. Espaillat. “One of the most pressing challenges facing many veterans is finding and maintaining affordable and quality housing. My bill would ensure landlords accept educational assistance and benefits that veterans receive from the VA as income and mandate that veterans have a reasonable lease period that match their eligibility for these benefits.”
The Protect Veteran Students, Job Seekers, and Entrepreneurs Housing Act would amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to protect veterans from housing discrimination based on their source of income. It would also prevent landlords from imposing lease terms that exceed the duration of the veterans’ educational assistance entitlement, which could result in financial hardship or eviction for veterans and their families.
Additionally, the Espaillat bill would provide a 60-day grace period for veterans who fail to meet a program requirement for their educational assistance or job training benefits, such as attendance, grades, or certification. This grace period would allow veterans to address any issues that may have caused them to miss a requirement, such as illness, injury, or personal crisis, without losing their benefits or housing.
“This bill is a common-sense measure that would protect the rights and dignity of our veterans and their families, who have sacrificed so much for our nation. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation, which would make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of veterans in New York and across the country,” Espaillat concluded.
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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fourth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 118th Congress. He is also a member of the House Budget Committee and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves in a leadership role as the Deputy Chair as well as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). Rep. Espaillat is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.
Media inquiries: Candace Person at [email protected]
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