I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5298 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to transfer the authority to operate 

certain transient housing of the Department of Defense to the Assistant 

Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 29, 2023 

Mr. BACON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to transfer the 

authority to operate certain transient housing of the 

Department of Defense to the Assistant Secretary of 

Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Military Lodging Re5 form Act of 2023’’. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 5298 IH

1 SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO OPERATE CERTAIN TRANSIENT 

2 HOUSING OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

3 TRANSFERRED TO ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF 

4 DEFENSE FOR ENERGY, INSTALLATIONS, AND 

5 ENVIRONMENT. 

6 (a) TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY.— 

7 (1) ASSIGNMENT.—Paragraph (7) of section 

8 138(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended 

9 by adding at the end the following new sentence: 

10 ‘‘The Assistant Secretary is responsible, subject to 

11 the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary 

12 of Defense, for all matters relating to lodging in13 tended to be occupied by members of the Armed 

14 Forces that require such lodging due to a temporary 

15 duty assignment or a permanent change of station 

16 order.’’. 

17 (2) TRANSFER.— 

18 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days 

19 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

20 Secretary of Defense shall transfer each duty or 

21 responsibility relating to covered transient hous22 ing to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 

23 Energy, Installations, and Environment. 

24 (B) CERTIFICATION.—Not later than 180 

25 days after the date of the enactment of this 

26 Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 5298 IH

1 the congressional defense committees a certifi2 cation that the transfer required under sub3 paragraph (A) has been completed. 

4 (3) COORDINATION ON COVERED TRANSIENT

5 HOUSING.— 

6 (A) ARMY TRANSIENT HOUSING.—On mat7 ters relating to covered transient housing of the 

8 Department of the Army, the Assistant Sec9 retary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and 

10 Environment shall coordinate with the Assistant 

11 Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, 

12 and Environment. 

13 (B) NAVY TRANSIENT HOUSING.—On mat14 ters relating to covered transient housing of the 

15 Department of the Navy, the Assistant Sec16 retary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and 

17 Environment shall coordinate with the Assistant 

18 Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations, 

19 and Environment). 

20 (C) AIR FORCE TRANSIENT HOUSING.—On 

21 matters relating to covered transient housing of 

22 the Department of the Air Force, the Assistant 

23 Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, 

24 and Environment shall coordinate with the AsVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:18 Aug 30, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5298.IH H5298

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 5298 IH

1 sistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, 

2 Installations and Environment. 

3 (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in law, regulation, 

4 guidance, instruction, or other document of the Federal 

5 Government to the Under Secretary of Defense for Per6 sonnel and Readiness with respect to covered transient 

7 housing shall be deemed to refer to the Assistant Sec8 retary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environ9 ment. 

10 (c) COVERED TRANSIENT HOUSING DEFINED.—In 

11 this section, the term ‘‘covered transient housing’’ means 

12 lodging intended to be occupied by members of the Armed 

13 Forces that require such lodging due to— 

14 (1) a temporary duty assignment; or 

15 (2) a permanent change of station order. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS