I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3786 
To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to allow individuals called 
to military service to terminate telecommunications contracts entered 
into before the individual receives notice of a permanent change of 
station or deployment orders. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 9, 2007 
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California (for herself, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, 
Mr. BERRY, Mr. GORDON of Tennessee, Mr. SPRATT, and Mr. BRADY of 
Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to allow indi-
viduals called to military service to terminate tele-
communications contracts entered into before the indi-
vidual receives notice of a permanent change of station 
or deployment orders. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Servicemembers 
Telecom Contract Relief Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. TERMINATION BY SERVICEMEMBERS OF TELE-
COMMUNICATIONS 
CONTRACTS 
ENTERED 
INTO BEFORE PERMANENT CHANGE OF STA-
TION OF DEPLOYMENT ORDERS. 
(a) TERMINATION.—Title III of the Servicemembers 
Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 531 et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 309. TERMINATION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS CON-
TRACTS. 
‘‘(a) TERMINATION BY SERVICEMEMBER.—A person 
in military service who is party to a contract described 
in subsection (b) may, at the person’s option, terminate 
the contract at any time after— 
‘‘(1) the date of the entry of the person into 
military service; or 
‘‘(2) the date of the military orders of the per-
son described in subsection (b)(2), as the case may 
be. 
‘‘(b) COVERED CONTRACTS.—This section applies to 
a telecommunications contract for cellular phone service, 
cable or satellite television service, or internet service if— 
‘‘(1) the contract is executed by or on behalf of 
a person who thereafter and during the term of the 
contract enters military service (or receives order to 
enter military service) under a call or order speci-
fying a period of not less than 90 days (or who en-
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ters military service under a call or order specifying 
a period of 90 days or less and who, without a break 
in service, receives orders extending the period of 
military service to a period of not less than 90 
days); or 
‘‘(2) the person enters into the contract while 
in military service and thereafter receives military 
orders for a permanent change of station outside of 
the continental United States, or to deploy with a 
military unit for a period of not less than 90 days, 
to a location that does not support continuation of 
the service under the contract. 
‘‘(c) MANNER OF TERMINATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Termination of a contract 
under subsection (a) is made by delivery by the per-
son in military service of written notice of such ter-
mination, and a copy of the servicemember’s military 
orders, to the other party to the contract (or to that 
person’s grantee or agent). 
‘‘(2) NATURE OF NOTICE.—Delivery of notice 
under paragraph (1) may be accomplished— 
‘‘(A) by hand delivery; 
‘‘(B) by private business carrier; or 
‘‘(C) by placing the written notice in an 
envelope with sufficient postage and with return 
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receipt requested, and addressed as designated 
by the party to be notified (or that party’s 
grantee or agent), and depositing the written 
notice in the United States mails. 
‘‘(d) DATE OF CONTRACT TERMINATION.—Termi-
nation of a contract under subsection (a) is effective on 
the day on which the notice is delivered in accordance with 
subsection (c). 
‘‘(e) ARREARAGES AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS AND 
LIABILITIES.—Contract amounts unpaid for the period 
preceding the effective date of the contract termination 
shall be paid on a prorated basis. 
‘‘(f) RELIEF TO OTHER PARTY.—Upon application 
by the other party to the contract to a court before the 
termination date provided in the written notice, relief 
granted by this section to a person in military service may 
be modified as justice and equity require. 
‘‘(g) PENALTIES.— 
‘‘(1) MISDEMEANOR.—Any person who know-
ingly seizes, holds, or detains the personal effects, 
security deposit, or other property of a person in 
military service (or of a dependent of a person in 
military service) who lawfully terminates a contract 
covered by this section, or who knowingly interferes 
with the removal of such property from premises 
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