H.R. 4356House116th Congress (2019-2021)Enacted

Protecting Families of Fallen Servicemembers Act

Introduced September 17, 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 8:15 AM UTC

The Protecting Families of Fallen Servicemembers Act changes the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act so that more people can end contracts for telephone, multichannel video, or internet service without penalty. It adds spouses, dependents, and certain reserve component members to the group of individuals who can cancel these contracts when a servicemember dies, is seriously injured, or is on active reserve duty.

Key Provisions

  • Expands the definition of who is treated as a servicemember under the contract‑termination provision to include:
  • • A spouse or dependent of a servicemember who dies while on active duty or while performing reserve‑component duty.
  • • A spouse or dependent of a servicemember who suffers a catastrophic injury or illness while on active duty or reserve‑component duty.
  • • Members of the reserve components (including National Guard and Guard/Reserve) who are performing military service, full‑time Guard/Reserve duty, or inactive‑duty training.

Legislative Activity

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19 earlier actions
Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 116-285.

January 5, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 17, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

September 17, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

October 2, 2019

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Discharged.

October 29, 2019

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

October 29, 2019

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

October 29, 2019

HouseFloor

Mr. Takano moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

November 12, 2019 • 5:01 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8757-8758)

November 12, 2019 • 5:01 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4356.

November 12, 2019 • 5:01 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8757)

November 12, 2019 • 5:09 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8757)

November 12, 2019 • 5:09 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

November 12, 2019 • 5:09 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

November 13, 2019

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S7508)

December 15, 2020

SenateDischarge

Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7508)

December 15, 2020

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

December 15, 2020

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 16, 2020

President

Presented to President.

December 24, 2020

Became Law

Signed by President.

January 5, 2021

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 116-285.

January 5, 2021

Bill Text

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One Hundred Sixteenth Congress of the United States of America

At the Second Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty

H. R. 4356

AN ACT

To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to allow certain individuals to terminate contracts for telephone, multichannel video programming, or internet access service, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Protecting Families of Fallen Servicemembers Act.

2.

Termination of contracts for telephone, multichannel video programming, or internet access service by certain individuals under Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

Section 305A(a) of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. 3956(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(4)

Additional individuals covered

For purposes of this section, the following individuals shall be treated as a servicemember covered by paragraph (1):

(A)

A spouse or dependent of a servicemember who dies while in military service or a spouse or dependent of a member of the reserve components who dies while performing duty described in subparagraph (C).

(B)

A spouse or dependent of a servicemember who incurs a catastrophic injury or illness (as that term is defined in section 439(g) of title 37, United States Code), if the servicemember incurs the catastrophic injury or illness while in military service or performing duty described in subparagraph (C).

(C)

A member of the reserve components performing military service or performing full-time National Guard duty, active Guard and Reserve duty, or inactive-duty training (as such terms are defined in section 101(d) of title 10, United States Code).

.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.