12 2 STA T . 2 849PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 289 —J UL Y3 0 , 2008 lim i ta ti onde te r mined u nder s u ch section 305( a ) ( 2 ) f or the cal - endar y ear in w hich the loan is ori g inated for a single-family residence .SEC.2 2 0 2.C OUN SE LI N G ON M O RT G A GE F ORECLOSURES FOR MEM -B ERSOFT H E ARME D FORCES RETURNING FROM SER V ICE ABROAD. (a) INGE NE RAL . —T he S ecretary of D efense shall de v elo p and implement a program to advise mem b ers of the A rmed F orces (including members of the N ational Guard and R eserve) who are returning from service on active duty abroad (including service in O peration Ira q i Freedom and Operation E nduring Freedom) on actions to be ta k en by such members to prevent or forestall mortgage foreclosures. (b) ELE M EN TS .—The program required by subsection (a) shall include the following
( 1 ) C redit counseling. (2) H ome mortgage counseling. (3) Such other counseling and information as the Secretary considers appropriate for purposes of the program. (c) T I MIN GOFP RO V ISION OF CO U NSELING.—Counseling and other information under the program required by subsection (a) shall be provided to a member of the Armed Forces covered by the program as soon as practicable after the return of the member from service as described in subsection (a). SEC. 220 3 . ENHANCEMENT OF P ROTECTIONS FOR SERVICEMEMBERS RELATING TO MORTGAGES AND MORTGAGE FORE- CLOSURES. (a) E X TENSION OF PERIO D OF PROTE C TIONS AGAINST M ORTGAGE FORECLOSURES.— (1) EXTENSION OF P ROTECTION PERIOD.—Subsection (c) of section 303 of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U .S.C. App. 533) is amended by striking ‘ ‘ 9 0 days ’ ’ and inserting ‘‘9 months’’. (2) EXTENSION OF STA Y OF PROCEEDINGS PERIOD.—Sub- section (b) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘90 days’’ and inserting ‘‘9 months’’. (b) TREATMENT OF MORTGAGES AS O B LIGATIONS SUB J ECT TO INTEREST RATE L IMITATION.—Section 20 7 of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 527) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(1) , by striking ‘‘in e x cess of 6 percent’’ the second place it appears and all that follows and inserting ‘‘in excess of 6 percent— ‘‘(A) during the period of military service and one year thereafter, in the case of an obligation or liability consisting of a mortgage, trust deed, or other security in the nature of a mortgage
or ‘‘( B ) during the period of military service, in the case of any other obligation or liability.’’; and (2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following new subsection: ‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: ‘‘(1) INTEREST.—The term ‘interest’ includes service charges, renewal charges, fees, or any other charges (except bona fide insurance) with respect to an obligation or liability. 10USC9 9 2note.
�
