Servicemembers Access to Justice Act of 2009
Latest action · Apr 27, 2009 Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedMar 12, 2009
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Servicemembers Access to Justice Act of 2009 - Waives a state's sovereign immunity with respect to the enforcement of uniformed services members' employment or reemployment rights or benefits under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).
Makes unenforceable agreements between an employer and employee requiring arbitration of disputes arising under USERRA. Provides exceptions. Requires the validity and enforceability of such an agreement to be determined by a court (as opposed to the arbitrator).
Provides increased liquidated damages, and authorizes punitive damages, against state or private employer violations of USERRA. Provides a right to a jury trial in such cases.
Requires (under current law, authorizes) the award of attorney fees in actions to enforce USERRA.
Defines "successor in interest" for USERRA purposes.
Prohibits wage discrimination against members covered under USERRA.
Requires (under current law, authorizes) a court to use equitable relief, including injunctions and restraining orders when appropriate, for USERRA violations.
Amends the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to require federal procurement contracts to include a notice that the contractor may have USERRA obligations.
Requires a Comptroller General study on the effectiveness of federal education and outreach programs on employer obligations under USERRA.
Cosponsors 28
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Mar 12, 2009 to Sep 22, 2009; 3 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-PA | Jason Altmire | Original | Mar 12, 2009 |
| D-OH | John A. Boccieri | Original | Mar 12, 2009 |
| D-MN | Timothy J. Walz | Original | Mar 12, 2009 |
| D-NJ | Albio Sires | Apr 21, 2009 | |
| D-OH | Betty Sutton | Apr 21, 2009 | |
| D-NY | Eric J. J. Massa | Apr 21, 2009 | |
| D-NC | Larry Kissell | Apr 21, 2009 | |
| D-GU | Madeleine Z. Bordallo | Apr 21, 2009 | |
| D-NC | Brad Miller | Apr 28, 2009 | |
| D-MN | Collin C. Peterson | Apr 28, 2009 | |
| D-CT | Joe Courtney | Apr 28, 2009 | |
| D-NJ | Rush Holt | Apr 28, 2009 | |
| D-MI | Carolyn C. Kilpatrick | May 5, 2009 | |
| D-VA | Gerald E. Connolly | May 5, 2009 | |
| D-MA | James P. McGovern | May 5, 2009 |
Committees 3
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Referred Mar 12, 2009 |
| Economic Opportunity Subcommittee | Referred Mar 13, 2009 | |
| House | Armed Services Committee | Referred Mar 12, 2009 |
| Military Personnel Subcommittee | Referred Apr 27, 2009 | |
| House | Oversight and Government Reform Committee | Referred Mar 12, 2009 |
Actions 7
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Apr 27, 2009Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
- Mar 13, 2009Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
- Mar 12, 2009Introduced in House
- Mar 12, 2009Referred to House Veterans' Affairs
- Mar 12, 2009Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Mar 12, 2009Referred to House Armed Services
- Mar 12, 2009Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Printed hearings 1
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial No. 111-5 | LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON H.R. 147, H.R. 228, H.R. 297, H.R. 466, H.R. 929, H.R. 942, H.R. 950, H.R. 1088, H.R. 1089, AND H.R. 117182 pages | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Mar 4, 2009 |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 263 | Servicemembers Access to Justice Act of 2009 | Identical bill | Apr 29, 2009 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the enforcement of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Servicemembers Access to Justice Act of 2009
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security.
- Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Civil actions and liability
- Congressional oversight
- Employment discrimination and employee rights
- Government information and archives
- Government liability
- Public contracts and procurement
- State and local government operations
- Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
- Wages and earnings
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Mar 12, 2009Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
