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H.R. 4201: Servicemember Family Protection Act

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H.R. 4201: Servicemember Family Protection Act

112th Congress · introduced 2012-03-16 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2012-03-16 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-3] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 295 (2012): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, HR4201 (2012-05-30), Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Servicemember Family Protection Act

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Servicemember Family Protection Act - Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide that if a court renders a temporary order for custodial responsibility for a child based solely on a deployment or anticipated deployment of a parent-servicemember, then the court shall require that upon the return of that servicemember from deployment the custody order that was in effect preceding such deployment shall be reinstated, unless the court finds that reinstatement in not in the child's best interest. Prohibits a servicemember's deployment or possible deployment from being considered in the determination of a child's best interest in a motion seeking a permanent order to modify custody. Provides that under a temporary custody order, if a state law provides a higher standard of protection to the deploying parent-servicemember, then the appropriate court shall apply the higher standard.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Servicemember Family Protection Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-3] · 72 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Todd Young (R-IN), Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Austin Scott (R-GA), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and 12 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-3] reported raising $1.3 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (1)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-hr4201 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112