July 24, 2018

House Passes Kilmer, Costello Bill to Protect Deploying Servicemembers from Burdensome Fees

Washington, D.C. – Today the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2409, legislation to ensure servicemembers can terminate their cable, satellite television, and Internet access service contracts while deployed without incurring early termination fees. Rep. Ryan Costello (R-PA) and Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) introduced the bipartisan legislation.

Under current law, similar protections are granted to servicemembers with active duty orders for long-term civil agreements, such as rental leases, automobile leases, and cellphone contracts. This legislation would update the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to include pay TV and internet service contracts when they have military orders to move or deploy. While relief provisions do exist in some states, this legislation would enact a policy at the federal level so that all our country’s servicemembers and their families are provided uniform assistance.

"If you serve your country, we should have your back,” said Kilmer, “When servicemembers are deployed or required to relocate, they shouldn’t have to worry about getting jammed financially because they have an outstanding cable bill. I’m proud to partner with Rep. Costello so the men and women serving on our behalf don’t have to sift through a mountain of paperwork or spend their last few days before deployment on hold with a cable company.”

“When servicemembers and their families receive military orders to deploy or relocate, they should not have to face fees from internet, cable, or other paid television service providers in their moving process,” said Costello, “This commonsense legislation would implement a federal solution to ensure military families do not have to pay these fees. Thank you to Rep. Kilmer and Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Phil Roe for their support and work to help pass this bill.”

“Military families have enough to worry about when they receive orders to deploy or relocate and should not be burdened with the additional worries about penalties for their cable, satellite television and internet services. I’m glad the House passed this bipartisan bill to ensure our servicemembers do not face additional fees and penalties when given new orders,” said Chairman of House Veterans Affairs Committee Phil Roe, M.D.