This week, Representative Mike Garcia’s (CA-25) “Emergency Relief for Servicemembers Act” passed through the House as a part of H.R. 7939, the “Student Veteran Emergency Relief Act of 2022.” Mike Garcia was the co-lead on the legislation, alongside Representative Mike Levin (D-CA).

This legislation will benefit veterans, active servicemembers, and military families across the board. 

Garcia released the following statement following passage:

“Right now, our military is struggling to recruit and retain active duty servicemembers. Our military personnel and their families are put through more than most, leading many to leave the service. This is an issue that is critical to our national security and must be resolved,” said Garcia. “The passage of this legislation will help recruit and retain more servicemembers and is the least we can do for these heroes, their families, and veterans. I’ll never stop fighting to ensure our military personnel and their families are properly taken care of.”

This bill, among many positive changes for military families, gives servicemembers and their families the ability to terminate telephone, cable, and internet service contracts if they receive military orders for a permanent change of station (PCS) but then receive a stop movement order due to an emergency.

This legislation was passed alongside Garcia’s “Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act” which gives military spouses with a valid professional license in one state reciprocity in another state where their spouse is stationed on military orders.

Garcia urges his colleagues in the Senate to swiftly pass this important legislation.