Sec. 597. STUDY ON FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 ON MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND BEST PRACTICES TO PREVENT FUTURE FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS

300 words·~1 min read·/statute-compilations/comps-16736/sec-597

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

## SEC. 597 STUDY ON FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 ON MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND BEST PRACTICES TO PREVENT FUTURE FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS ###

(a)Study The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study on the financial hardships experienced by members of the Armed Forces (including the reserve components) as a result of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. ###

(b)Elements The study shall— ####

(1)examine the financial hardships members of the Armed Forces experience as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the effects of stop movement orders, loss of spousal income, loss of hazardous duty incentive pay, school closures, loss of childcare, loss of educational benefits, loss of drill and exercise pay, cancelled deployments, and any additional financial stressors identified by the Secretary; ####

(2)identify best practices to provide assistance for members of the Armed Forces experiencing the financial hardships listed in paragraph (1); and ####

(3)identify actions that can be taken by the Secretary to prevent financial hardships listed in paragraph

(1)from occurring in the future. ###

(c)Consultation and Coordination For the purposes of the study, the Secretary may— ####

(1)consult with the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and ####

(2)with respect to members of the Coast Guard, coordinate with the Secretary of Homeland Security. ###

(d)Submission Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the study under subsection (a). ###

(e)Financial Hardship Defined In this section, the term “financial hardship” means a loss of income or an unforeseen expense as a result of closures and changes in operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.