National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020

Floor Speech

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Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the en bloc package, and I thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Thornberry for their support of two amendments that I have offered, particularly my amendment clarifying the statutory rights of servicemembers and their families under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

For too long, forced arbitration clauses buried deep within the fine print of everyday contracts have eroded workplace discrimination protections for servicemembers and blocked them from having their day in court to hold corporations accountable. Under these agreements, a servicemember can be called up for Active Duty, express to his or her employer a desire to return to his job following deployment, and then be fired on his last day at work before he deploys. This actually happened.

The servicemember would then learn that he or she has waived the right to due process because of the contract he or she signed, removing the procedures and safeguards afforded to individuals in our justice system. These forced arbitration clauses allow corporations to choose their arbiter and their venue and to deny servicemembers the right to press their claims for unjust termination.

This bipartisan amendment would end this shameful practice by clarifying that arbitration clauses are only enforceable if agreed to by the servicemember or their family after a dispute arises, thereby protecting their rights under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

I thank my colleagues, Congressman Guy Reschenthaler and Veterans Affairs' Committee Chairman Mark Takano, for their strong, bipartisan support for this amendment to protect our men and women in uniform. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their support of this amendment.

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