Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley, a Democrat from Waterloo, focused on veterans issues in a weekly conference call with reporters today. A bipartisian bill that Braley co-sponsored passed the House Tuesday and would extend the protection against the foreclosure
of the homes of soldiers for one year from the time of their deployment.
Braley says the law now has a nine-month period of protection, and Braley says with longer tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, he says it was difficult to protect veterans against foreclosure. The congressman says he is also urging the leaders of the Hosue Veterans Affairs Committee that he serves on to look into allegations of mortgage fraud against veterans.
He says Bank of America, J-P Morgan Chase and G-M-A-C are accused of defrauding veterans by hiding prohibited fees in loan documents. Braley says the problems came to light recently when documents in a suit against the banks and mortgage companies were unsealed.
Braley also said he plans to hold one of two hearings on unemployed veterans in eastern Iowa. Braley says 1 in 4 veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan is out of work. “And that is a huge discrace to this country, and it’s obviously exaggerated and exacerbated by the huge unemployment rate we have nationwide.” Braley said.
The hearing is Monday at 10 a.m. at the Waterloo Community Schools Education Service Center. Braley is running for re-election in the realigned first district.