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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Military Lodging Re-
form Act of 2023’’. 
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SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO OPERATE CERTAIN TRANSIENT 
HOUSING OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
TRANSFERRED TO ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF 
DEFENSE FOR ENERGY, INSTALLATIONS, AND 
ENVIRONMENT. 
(a) TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY.— 
(1) ASSIGNMENT.—Paragraph (7) of section 
138(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new sentence: 
‘‘The Assistant Secretary is responsible, subject to 
the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary 
of Defense, for all matters relating to lodging in-
tended to be occupied by members of the Armed 
Forces that require such lodging due to a temporary 
duty assignment or a permanent change of station 
order.’’. 
(2) TRANSFER.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Defense shall transfer each duty or 
responsibility relating to covered transient hous-
ing to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Energy, Installations, and Environment. 
(B) CERTIFICATION.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
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the congressional defense committees a certifi-
cation that the transfer required under sub-
paragraph (A) has been completed. 
(3) COORDINATION
ON
COVERED
TRANSIENT 
HOUSING.— 
(A) ARMY TRANSIENT HOUSING.—On mat-
ters relating to covered transient housing of the 
Department of the Army, the Assistant Sec-
retary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and 
Environment shall coordinate with the Assistant 
Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, 
and Environment. 
(B) NAVY TRANSIENT HOUSING.—On mat-
ters relating to covered transient housing of the 
Department of the Navy, the Assistant Sec-
retary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and 
Environment shall coordinate with the Assistant 
Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations, 
and Environment). 
(C) AIR FORCE TRANSIENT HOUSING.—On 
matters relating to covered transient housing of 
the Department of the Air Force, the Assistant 
Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, 
and Environment shall coordinate with the As-
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sistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, 
Installations and Environment. 
(b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in law, regulation, 
guidance, instruction, or other document of the Federal 
Government to the Under Secretary of Defense for Per-
sonnel and Readiness with respect to covered transient 
housing shall be deemed to refer to the Assistant Sec-
retary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environ-
ment. 
(c) COVERED TRANSIENT HOUSING DEFINED.—In 
this section, the term ‘‘covered transient housing’’ means 
lodging intended to be occupied by members of the Armed 
Forces that require such lodging due to— 
(1) a temporary duty assignment; or 
(2) a permanent change of station order. 
Æ 
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