The Let Freedom Ring Initiative

Across the United States, military families are being harmed by a mortgage servicing system that no longer reflects the protections promised to them. The VA home loan program—long seen as a cornerstone of stability and gratitude for those who served—has become, for many, a source of confusion, unnecessary hardship, and preventable loss. These failures are not isolated. They are systemic.

The Let Freedom Ring Campaign exposes these failures and demands the accountability veterans deserve.

The Pandemic Promised Protection—But Delivered Chaos

During the COVID-19 emergency, the federal government assured homeowners that no one would lose their home due to pandemic hardship. Under the CARES Act, borrowers with federally backed mortgages—including VA loans—were entitled to forbearance protections. Servicemembers also received additional rights under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).

In December 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a joint enforcement warning directing mortgage servicers and landlords to comply fully with federal protections for military families. Their notices remain public: DOJ/CFPB Joint Notice and CFPB Enforcement Notice.

Despite these directives, violations continued nationwide. Servicers mishandled forbearances, misreported credit, issued improper foreclosure threats, and denied assumption rights—even when borrowers were fully eligible under VA rules.

Systemic Breakdowns Inside the VA Loan Program

Documented cases show that servicing failures during and after COVID were widespread:

• Mishandled COVID-era modifications that contradicted VA guidance.
• Conflicting or incomplete loan records that made it difficult for families to defend themselves.
• Assumption denials issued even when loans were current and borrowers met all qualifications.
• Foreclosure notices issued during ongoing reviews—sometimes in clear violation of federal protections.

In multiple states, sheriffs were even sent to the homes of borrowers who were current on their payments—solely because of servicer misreporting. This is not homeowner “error.” This is systemic failure.

The Emotional Toll Behind the Bureaucracy

Beyond the paperwork, these failures devastated families:

• Constant fear of losing the family home
• Repeated checking of mail and bank statements for unexpected notices
• Breakdowns in trust within families
• Long-term anxiety and emotional exhaustion
• Erosion of faith in the VA and federal housing protections

This is not how a grateful nation should treat those who served.

VA Oversight Failure

Despite years of documented complaints—delayed assumptions, lost documents, mishandled forbearance exits, and inconsistent modification records—the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs took no meaningful enforcement action against servicers with repeated violations.

The VA’s reliance on servicer self-reporting leaves veterans vulnerable. On paper, the protections are strong. In practice, veterans are too often left defenseless.

The Let Freedom Ring Amendment: A Path to Accountability

The Let Freedom Ring Amendment was created to close the oversight gaps that allow servicers to harm veterans without consequences. This reform would:

• Prohibit servicers from modifying or altering VA loans without borrower consent and full VA compliance documentation.
• Guarantee transparency in all assumption and modification decisions.
• Protect co-borrowers, surviving spouses, and eligible heirs from wrongful displacement.
• Impose civil penalties on servicers that misreport, obstruct, or mishandle VA-backed transactions.
• Require independent oversight and annual compliance reporting for all VA-approved servicers.

This is not charity. This is protection for those who earned it.

A Call to Congress and the American Public

Veterans should not have to fight a second battle at home. The Let Freedom Ring Campaign calls on lawmakers to sponsor and pass the Let Freedom Ring Amendment now.

You can contact Senator Chris Van Hollen’s office here: Contact Senator Van Hollen.

“Veterans and their families deserve consistent, lawful treatment from mortgage servicers. Please support and advance the Let Freedom Ring Amendment to ensure no veteran ever loses their home due to preventable servicing errors or oversight failures.”

Final Reflection

Unchecked bureaucracy and the absence of enforcement can devastate even the strongest families. The damage is emotional, financial, and generational. These failures shattered trust—and in many cases, lives.

The Let Freedom Ring Campaign is committed to ensuring no veteran ever faces this crisis again. Freedom must be protected—and so must those who fought to defend it.

References

1. Justice Department & CFPB Joint Notice (2021): https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-and-cfpb-put-landlords-and-mortgage-servicers-notice-about-servicemembers
2. CFPB Enforcement Notice (2021): https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-and-doj-put-landlords-and-mortgage-servicers-on-notice-about-servicemembers-and-veterans-rights/
3. Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA): https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers
4. CARES Act – Mortgage Forbearance: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748
5. Senator Chris Van Hollen Contact Page: https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/contact/email