[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5330 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5330
To amend title 10, United States Code, to establish a Department of
Defense Military Housing Readiness Council, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 1, 2023
Ms. Jacobs (for herself and Mrs. Bice) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to establish a Department of
Defense Military Housing Readiness Council, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MILITARY HOUSING READINESS COUNCIL.
(a) Establishment.--Subchapter I of chapter 88 of title 10, United
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1781c the following
new section:
``Sec. 1781d. Department of Defense Military Housing Readiness Council
``(a) In General.--There is in the Department of Defense the
Department of Defense Military Housing Readiness Council (in this
section referred to as the `Council').
``(b) Members.--(1) The Council shall be composed of the following
members:
``(A) The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy,
Installations, and Environment, who shall serve as chair of the
Council and who may designate a representative to chair the
Council in the absence of the Assistant Secretary.
``(B) One representative of each of the Army, Navy, Air
Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force--
``(i) each of whom shall be a member of the armed
force to be represented; and
``(ii) not fewer than two of whom shall be enlisted
members.
``(C) One spouse of a member of each of the Army, Navy, Air
Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force on active duty, not fewer
than two of whom shall be the spouse of an enlisted member.
``(D) One representative that possesses expertise in State
and Federal housing standards from each of the following areas:
``(i) Plumbing.
``(ii) Electrical.
``(iii) Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.
``(iv) Certified home inspection.
``(v) Roofing.
``(vi) Structural engineering.
``(vii) Window fall prevention and safety.
``(E) Two representatives of organizations that advocate on
behalf of military families with respect to military housing.
``(F) One individual appointed by the Secretary of Defense
among representatives of the International Code Council.
``(G) One individual appointed by the Secretary of Defense
among representatives of the Institute of Inspection Cleaning
and Restoration Certification.
``(H) One individual appointed by the Secretary of Defense
among representatives of a voluntary consensus standards body
that develops construction standards (such as building,
plumbing, mechanical, or electrical).
``(I) One individual appointed by the Secretary of Defense
among representatives of a voluntary consensus standards body
that develops personnel certification standards for building
maintenance or restoration.
``(J) Two individuals appointed by the Chair of the
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, each of whom is not
described in subparagraph (B), (C), or (D) and is not a
representative of an organization specified in subparagraph
(E), (F), (G), (H), or (I).
``(K) Two individuals appointed by the Ranking Member of
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, each of whom is
not described in subparagraph (B), (C), or (D) and is not a
representative of an organization specified in subparagraph
(E), (F), (G), (H), or (I).
``(L) Two individuals appointed by the Chair of the
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives,
each of whom is not described in subparagraph (B), (C), or (D)
and is not a representative of an organization specified in
subparagraph (E), (F), (G), (H), or (I).
``(M) Two individuals appointed by the Ranking Member of
the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives, each of whom is not described in subparagraph
(B), (C), or (D) and is not a representative of an organization
specified in subparagraph (E), (F), (G), (H), or (I).
``(2) The term on the Council of the members specified under
subparagraphs (B) through (M) of paragraph (1) shall be two years and
may be renewed by the Secretary of Defense.
``(3) The chair of the Council shall extend an invitation to all
landlords for one representative of each landlord to attend such
meetings of the Council as the chair considers appropriate.
``(4) Each member of the Council under paragraph (1)(D) may not be
affiliated with--
``(A) any organization that provides privatized military
housing; or
``(B) the Department of Defense.
``(c) Meetings.--The Council shall meet two times each year.
``(d) Duties.--The duties of the Council shall include the
following:
``(1) To review and make recommendations to the Secretary
of Defense regarding policies for privatized military housing,
including inspections practices, resident surveys, landlord
payment of medical bills for health conditions of residents of
housing units resulting from lack of maintenance of minimum
standards of habitability, and access to maintenance work order
systems.
``(2) To monitor compliance by the Department of Defense
with, and effective implementation by the Department of,
statutory and regulatory improvements to policies for
privatized military housing, including the Military Housing
Privatization Initiative Tenant Bill of Rights developed under
section 2890 of this title and the complaint database
established under section 2894a of this title.
``(3) To make recommendations to the Secretary of Defense
to improve collaboration, awareness, and promotion of accurate
and timely information about privatized military housing,
accommodations available through the Exceptional Family Member
Program of the Department, and other support services among
policymakers, service providers, and targeted beneficiaries.
``(e) Public Reporting.--(1) Subject to section 552 of title 5
(commonly known as the `Freedom of Information Act'), the records,
reports, transcripts, minutes, appendices, working papers, drafts,
studies, agenda, and other documents made available to or prepared for
or by the Council shall be available for public inspection and copying
at a single location in a publicly accessible format on a website of
the Department of Defense until the Council ceases to exist.
``(2)(A) Detailed minutes of each meeting of the Council shall be
kept and shall contain--
``(i) a record of the individuals present;
``(ii) a complete and accurate description of matters
discussed and conclusions reached; and
``(iii) copies of all reports received, issued, or approved
by the Council.
``(B) The chair of the Council shall certify the accuracy of the
minutes of each meeting of the Council.
``(f) Annual Reports.--(1) Not later than March 1, 2024, and
annually thereafter, the Council shall submit to the Secretary of
Defense and the congressional defense committees a report on privatized
military housing readiness.
``(2) Each report under this subsection shall include the
following:
``(A) An assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of
the provision of privatized military housing and the activities
of the Secretary of Defense in meeting the needs of military
families relating to housing during the preceding fiscal year.
``(B) A description of activities of the Council during the
preceding fiscal year, including--
``(i) analyses of complaints of tenants of
privatized military housing;
``(ii) data received by the Council on maintenance
response time and completion of maintenance requests
relating to privatized military housing;
``(iii) assessments of dispute resolution
processes;
``(iv) assessments of overall customer service for
tenants;
``(v) assessments of results of housing inspections
conducted with and without notice; and
``(vi) any survey results conducted on behalf of or
received by the Council.
``(C) Recommendations on actions to be taken to improve the
capability of the provision of privatized military housing and
the activities of the Department of Defense to meet the needs
and requirements of military families relating to housing,
including actions relating to the allocation of funding and
other resources.
``(3) Each report under this subsection shall be made available in
a publicly accessible format on a website of the Department of Defense.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The terms `landlord' and `tenant' have the meanings
given, respectively, in section 2871 of this title.
``(2) The term `privatized military housing' means housing
provided under subchapter IV of chapter 169 of this title.''.
(b) Briefing.--Not later than March 1, 2024, the Secretary of
Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees a
briefing on the annual report required under subsection (f) of section
1781d of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
<all>