Cummings and Rockefeller Review Bank Handling of Military Foreclosure

(Washington, D.C.)—On Tuesday, July 12, 2011, Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Representative Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, convened a forum to examine illegal foreclosures against U.S. service members and their families.

The forum was accompanied by a Congressional Report, entitled "FIGHTING ON THE HOME FRONT: THE GROWING PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL FORECLOSURES AGAINST U.S. SERVICEMEMBERS"

Several mortgage servicing companies have recently admitted to multiple violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), including foreclosing on service members who were deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The SCRA is intended to protect active-duty service members from improper foreclosures, evictions and other financial consequences of military service. Despite millions of dollars in settlements with service members, new information from regulators and others suggests that this is a systemic problem that affects many more military families than previously known.

Rockefeller and Cummings have invited service members and experts to provide their recommendations on what actions should be taken to address these issues.

Read the Opening Statement of Congressman Elijah E. Cummings

Read the Testimony of Ms. Holly Petraeus , Lead, Office of Service Member Affairs, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Read the Testimony of Captain Samuel F. Wright , JAGC, US Navy (Ret.), Director, Service Members Law Center, Reserve Officers Association
Read the Testimony of Warrant Officer Charles L. Pickett III , Army National Guard, Homeowner
Read WO Pickett's Case Study

Read the Testimony of Captain Kenneth R. Gonzales , Army, Homeowner
Read Captain Gonzales' Case Study

Read the Testimony of Bill Nelson , Executive Director, USA Cares