From the office of Rep. Perriello (Va-5)

Today, the U.S. House passed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority (415-4) Congressman Tom Perriello’s bill to prevent mortgage lenders from foreclosing on a veteran’s home after their service. H.R. 3976, the Helping Heroes Keep Their Homes Act of 2009, would reauthorize home-foreclosure protections so that mortgage companies cannot foreclose on a veteran’s home within nine months after the end of military service. If Congress does not act, these protections would expire at the end of the year. Rep. Perriello’s bill extends the protections for another five years.

“Homeownership is a touchstone of the American Dream. Nobody deserves these protections against foreclosure more than those who have fought for our country. This is a commonsense bill that gives our veterans the protections they deserve, and I’m grateful for the overwhelming bipartisan support from my colleagues,” said Rep. Perriello.

H.R. 3976 is supported by the Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, and the U.S. Department of Defense. (Electronic mail, March 23, 2010)