New bipartisan bill would create ‘buffer period’ for military families forced to move

A new bipartisan bill being proposed in the Senate, would help provide military families with more stability when troops move.

The Military Family Stability Act of 2015 helps alleviate some of the pressures and challenges that service members face, every few years, when required to move to a new post.

“More military spouses are working than ever before and abrupt relocations negatively affect military children in school,” said Missouri Senator Roy Blunt — who’s leading the bipartisan effort with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

The buffer that this bill creates would allow military families to remain in place for six months before or after a service member’s permanent change of station, The Hill reports.

The new measure would also allow the service member to move ahead of the family, so children can finish the school year or so their spouses can start or finish professional or education programs, said bill co-sponsors Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

“Our nation’s heroes do not serve alone and this is a great opportunity to help better take care of our military families,” said Senator Blunt. “Too often spouses are forced to sacrifice their own careers to accommodate the needs of the military.”

The bill is endorsed by veteran and service groups, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, National Military Family Association, and others.

“The Military Family Stability Act would better serve the modern military family to give our service members, their spouses, and their children new resources and much-needed flexibility when they have to move,” Sen. Gillibrand said.

“We owe it to them to pass this bill,” she added.