Russ Feingold: Feingold Works To Help Troops Avoid Unfair Cell Phone Fees While Serving

Feingold Legislation Would Allow Servicemembers to Terminate Contracts Free of Penalties While Assigned Overseas or to Areas Without Coverage

May 8, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) has reintroduced a bill that would allow servicemembers who are transferred or called up to active duty to terminate cellular phone contracts without having to pay termination fees or reactivation fees. Feingold originally introduced legislation last year after learning of Wisconsin servicemembers being forced to pay early termination fees or pay for a service they cannot use when they are either reassigned or called up for active duty. Feingold believes all American servicemembers deserve this right and his bill would address this problem nationally after Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and the Wisconsin state legislature worked to solve this problem in Wisconsin.

“I was bothered by stories of troops in my home state of Wisconsin having to pay termination fees when they were called up to serve and when I looked into the issue, I heard of similar problems throughout the country,” Feingold said. “Our troops and their families make enough sacrifices as it is. We should make every effort to help military families, including reducing financial penalties incurred simply as a result of their selfless service.”

Feingold’s bill, which is pending before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, gives servicemembers the right to terminate cellular phone contracts without paying an early termination fee if they are called up to active duty for 90 days or more, permanently assigned or redeployed for more than 90 days overseas, or permanently reassigned to a location in the continental US where they cannot receive the same cellular phone service. Feingold’s bill also prevents cellular phone providers from charging a reactivation fee if the provider and servicemember mutually agree to suspend instead of terminate the service. Feingold’s legislation would expand rights that servicemembers currently have to terminate similar contracts like residential and automobile leases.

Feingold’s bill is supported by the National Guard Association of the United States, the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, and the Military Officers Association of America.

Source: Senator Russ Feingold

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