[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2047 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2047
To amend title 10, United States Code, to create a Department of
Defense Military Housing Readiness Council to enhance oversight and
accountability for deficiencies in military housing, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 20, 2023
Ms. Warren (for herself, Mrs. Shaheen, and Ms. Hirono) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to create a Department of
Defense Military Housing Readiness Council to enhance oversight and
accountability for deficiencies in military housing, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Military Housing Readiness Council
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MILITARY HOUSING READINESS COUNCIL.
(a) In General.--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) In general.--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, each of whom
shall be a member of the armed force to be represented
and not fewer than two of which shall be from an
enlisted component.
``(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 which shall be the
spouse of an enlisted member.
``(D) One professional from each of the following
fields, each of whom shall possess expertise in State
and Federal housing standards in their respective
field:
``(i) Plumbing.
``(ii) Electrical.
``(iii) Heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning (HVAC).
``(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) One individual appointed by the Chair of the
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate who 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) One individual appointed by the Ranking
Member of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate
who 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) One individual appointed by the Chair of the
Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives who 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) One individual appointed by the Ranking
Member of the Committee on Armed Services of the House
of Representatives who 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) Terms.--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) Attendance by landlords.--The chair of the Council
shall extend an invitation to each landlord for one
representative of each landlord to attend such meetings of the
Council as the chair considers appropriate.
``(4) Additional requirements for certain members.--Each
member appointed 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 residents of housing units that
have not maintained 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, providers of such accommodations and other
support services, and targeted beneficiaries of such
accommodations and other support services.
``(e) Public Reporting.--
``(1) Availability of documents.--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) Minutes.--
``(A) In general.--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) Certification.--The chair of the Council
shall certify the accuracy of the minutes of each
meeting of the Council.
``(f) Annual Reports.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than March 1 each year, the
Council shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the
congressional defense committees a report on privatized
military housing readiness.
``(2) Elements.--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 Department 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
housing units;
``(ii) data received by the Council on
maintenance response time and completion of
maintenance requests relating to housing units;
``(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) Public availability.--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) Landlord.--The term `landlord' has the meaning given
that term in section 2871 of this title.
``(2) Privatized military housing.--The term `privatized
military housing' means housing provided under subchapter IV of
chapter 169 of this title.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such subchapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to
section 1781c the following new item:
``1781d. Department of Defense Military Housing Readiness Council.''.
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