LODGE Act
Bill: H.R.7615 | Sponsor: Rep. Moore, Blake D. (R-UT)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Lodging Options Developed for Government Employees Act or the LODGE Act
This bill expands the current authority of the Department of the Interior to enter into agreements with housing entities to provide rental housing for employees.
The bill allows Interior to enter agreements with other federal agencies, state or local governments, tribal governments, or other public or private organizations for purposes of facilitating housing accommodation projects for rent to field employees and members of the public
Interior may allow field employees and members of the public to occupy and lease project quarters.
Field employees and members of the public shall be prohibited from subleasing housing units or quarters developed or leased in accordance with a housing partnership agreement under this bill, including all forms of short-term rentals.
To the maximum extent practicable, priority for occupancy in project quarters shall be given to field employees.
Interior may collect, or authorize entities who have entered into partnership housing agreements under this bill to collect, rents directly from field employees and members of the public occupying housing units or quarters.
The bill modifies the lease-to-build program to allow Interior to lease federal land and interests in land to qualified persons for the construction of field employee quarters for any period not to exceed 60 years (under current law not to exceed 50 years).

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into partnerships 
              to develop 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 ``Lodging Options Developed for 
Government Employees Act'' or the ``LODGE Act''.

SEC. 2. HOUSING PARTNERSHIPS; OCCUPANCY.

    Subchapter III of chapter 1013 of title 54, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by amending section 101331 to read as follows:
``Sec. 101331. Definitions
    ``In this subchapter:
            ``(1) Field employee.--The term `field employee' means--
                    ``(A) an employee of the Service who is exclusively 
                assigned by the Service to perform duties at a System 
                unit, and the members of the employee's family;
                    ``(B) an individual performing duties at the System 
                unit who is employed by a Service concession, 
                partnership, educational, or conservation organization, 
                whose work supports the mission of the System unit, and 
                the members of the individual's family;
                    ``(C) an individual who is authorized to occupy 
                Federal Government quarters under section 5911 of title 
                5 in the vicinity of the System unit, including 
                individuals who are employees of other Federal 
                agencies, and the members of the individual's family; 
                or
                    ``(D) an employee of the Federal Government who 
                is--
                            ``(i) eligible to live in government 
                        housing; and
                            ``(ii) not an employee of the Service.
            ``(2) Fundamental resources.--The term `fundamental 
        resources' means resources essential to achieving the purposes 
        of the System unit and maintaining its significance, as 
        identified by the agency in planning documents, including 
        Foundation Documents.
            ``(3) Housing accommodation project.--The term `housing 
        accommodation project' means a project for the development, 
        construction, rehabilitation, repair, maintenance, operation or 
        management of housing accommodations, including related 
        facilities and infrastructure, pursuant to an agreement entered 
        into under section 101334.
            ``(4) Housing partnership agreement.--The term `housing 
        partnership agreement' means an agreement for a housing 
        accommodation project entered into under section 101334.
            ``(5) Housing units.--The term `housing units' means 
        housing units occupied by members of the public in housing 
        accommodations developed or leased on non-Federal lands under 
        this subchapter.
            ``(6) Member of the public.--The term `member of the 
        public' means an individual, and the members of the 
        individual's family, who is not a Federal Government employee.
            ``(7) Primary resource values.--The term `primary resource 
        values' means resources that are specifically mentioned in the 
        enabling legislation for that field unit or other resource 
        value recognized under Federal statute.
            ``(8) Public lands.--The term `public lands' means lands 
        under the administrative jurisdiction of the Federal 
        Government.
            ``(9) Quarters.--The term `quarters' means quarters 
        occupied by field employees and are, for such purpose,--
                    ``(A) provided by the Federal Government; or
                    ``(B) developed or leased by the Federal Government 
                in accordance with a housing partnership agreement, 
                lease, or contract under this subchapter.'';
            (2) in section 101332--
                    (A) in subsection (a)(2), by--
                            (i) striking ``rates'' and inserting 
                        ``affordable rates''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``, unless otherwise 
                        authorized,'' after ``at rates based'';
                    (B) in subsection (c)--
                            (i) by inserting ``under the administrative 
                        jurisdiction of the Service'' after ``any 
                        land''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``or fundamental 
                        resources'' after ``primary resource value''; 
                        and
                    (C) in subsection (d), by inserting ``, unless 
                otherwise authorized,'' after ``that are based'';
            (3) in section 101333, by inserting ``or affordability'' 
        after ``lack of availability'';
            (4) by amending section 101334 to read as follows:
``Sec. 101334. Authorization for housing accommodation projects
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may, pursuant to the authorities 
contained in this subchapter and subject to the appropriation of 
necessary funds in advance, enter into housing partnership agreements 
with other Federal agencies, State or local governments, Tribal 
Governments, housing entities, or other public or private 
organizations, for the purposes of facilitating housing accommodation 
projects for rent to field employees and members of the public--
            ``(1) on public lands, including System units;
            ``(2) off public lands in the vicinity of System units; or
            ``(3) a combination of public lands described in paragraphs 
        (1) and (2).
    ``(b) Terms and Conditions.--
            ``(1) National park lands.--For any housing partnership 
        agreements for housing accommodation projects on lands under 
        the administrative jurisdiction of the Service, the Secretary 
        shall--
                    ``(A) ensure the housing accommodation project and 
                the use thereof are in conformity with the approved 
                plans, including housing management plans, for the 
                System unit and Director's Orders and reference manuals 
                related to Service housing;
                    ``(B) ensure that the location of the housing 
                accommodation project will avoid degradation to the 
                primary resource values and fundamental resources 
                within the System unit, and will not adversely affect 
                the mission of the Service;
                    ``(C) ensure the entities responsible for the 
                housing accommodation project comply with applicable 
                law and policies, including the provisions of this 
                subchapter;
                    ``(D) identify the funding to be used in performing 
                the housing accommodation project;
                    ``(E) provide standards that must be met, as 
                applicable, to ensure that the housing accommodation 
                project, including related facilities and 
                infrastructure, are kept in good condition and repair; 
                and
                    ``(F) that the agreements include any other terms 
                and conditions the Secretary may consider advisable to 
                protect the interests of the United States.
            ``(2) Other public or private lands.--For any housing 
        partnership agreements for housing accommodation projects on 
        other public or private lands located in the vicinity of the 
        relevant System unit and not under the administrative 
        jurisdiction of the Service, the Secretary shall ensure the 
        agreements--
                    ``(A) have received the approval of each 
                appropriate State or local government, Tribal 
                Government, or other public or private entity involved;
                    ``(B) identify both the Federal and non-Federal 
                funding to be used in completing the housing and 
                related facilities; and
                    ``(C) any other terms and conditions the Secretary 
                may consider advisable to protect the interests of the 
                United States.
    ``(c) Housing Occupancy.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may allow field employees 
        and members of the public to occupy and lease housing 
        accommodation project quarters.
            ``(2) Compliance.--Members of the public occupying quarters 
        shall be subject to the same laws and policies with which field 
        employees are required to comply, as applicable.
            ``(3) Prohibition.--Field employees and members of the 
        public shall be prohibited from subleasing housing units or 
        quarters developed or leased in accordance with a housing 
        partnership agreement under this section, including all forms 
        of short-term rentals.
            ``(4) Preference.--To the maximum extent practicable, 
        priority for occupancy in project quarters shall be given to 
        field employees.
    ``(d) Contracting Procedures.--Each housing partnership agreement 
awarded pursuant to this section shall be awarded through the use of 
publicly advertised, competitively bid, or competitively negotiated 
procedures, unless the Secretary--
            ``(1) determines that it is in the public interest to use 
        procedures other than competitive procedures with respect to 
        the particular housing partnership agreement concerned; and
            ``(2) notifies, in writing, the Committee on Energy and 
        Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural 
        Resources of the House of Representatives of such 
        determinations and the rationale for such determination
    ``(e) Rent.--
            ``(1) Collection.--The Secretary may collect, or may 
        authorize entities who have entered into partnership housing 
        agreements under this section to collect, rents directly from 
        field employees and members of the public occupying housing 
        units or quarters.
            ``(2) Rates.--For field employees, rent collected under 
        this subsection may not exceed the rates determined pursuant to 
        guidance in the document entitled `Circular No. A-45 Revised' 
        and dated November 25, 2019 (or subsequent guidance).
    ``(f) Expiration of Agreements.--
            ``(1) Within system units.--The Secretary may allow long-
        term leases or term-limited ownership of housing units or 
        quarters on public lands, as appropriate, to facilitate the 
        ability of an entity with whom a housing partnership agreement 
        has been entered into under subsection (b) to secure financing.
            ``(2) Expiration of term on public lands.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Upon expiration of a term of 
                ownership under paragraph (1), the Secretary may--
                            ``(i) renew the housing partnership 
                        agreement for terms not to exceed 10 years;
                            ``(ii) require the entity with whom a 
                        housing partnership agreement has been entered 
                        into under subsection (a) to demolish the 
                        housing accommodations and related facilities 
                        and infrastructure, and restore the land to 
                        conditions generally existing before 
                        construction on the lands upon which the 
                        housing accommodation project is located 
                        without any cost to the Federal Government;
                            ``(iii) take ownership of the housing 
                        accommodations and related facilities and 
                        infrastructure, including fixtures and personal 
                        property necessary for the operation of the 
                        property; or
                            ``(iv) enter into a new housing partnership 
                        agreement.
                    ``(B) Covering costs.--If taking ownership of 
                buildings under subparagraph (A)(ii), the Secretary may 
                require the owner whose term of ownership is expiring 
                to cover costs associated with preparing the building 
                site for new or continued use.
            ``(3) On non-federal lands.--Upon expiration of a housing 
        partnership agreement for housing accommodations on non-Federal 
        lands, the Secretary may extend the housing partnership 
        agreement for terms not to exceed 10 years.'';
            (5) in section 101335--
                    (A) in subsection (a)--
                            (i) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``50'' 
                        and inserting ``60'';
                            (ii) in paragraph (2)--
                                    (I) by striking ``procedures.'' and 
                                inserting ``procedures, unless--''; and
                                    (II) by adding at the end the 
                                following:
                    ``(A) the lease is awarded to a nonprofit or 
                government entity; or
                    ``(B) the Secretary determines that it is in the 
                public interest to use procedures other than 
                competitive procedures in the particular lease 
                concerned and notifies, in writing, the Committee on 
                Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 
                Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
                Representatives of such determination and the rationale 
                for such determination.''; and
                            (iii) in paragraph (3)(D), by inserting ``, 
                        affordability,'' after ``improve the quality'';
                    (B) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); and
                            (ii) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
                        following:
            ``(2) Terms and conditions.--Any arrangement made pursuant 
        to this subsection shall contain such terms and conditions as 
        the Secretary considers necessary or appropriate to protect the 
        interests of the United States and ensure that necessary 
        quarters are available to field employees.''; and
                    (C) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph 
                (3);
            (6) in section 101336, by inserting ``rehabilitation,'' 
        after ``repair,'';
            (7) by amending section 101338 to read as follows:
``Sec. 101338. General provisions
    ``(a) Exemptions.--The following provisions shall not apply to 
leases contracts, or housing partnership agreements awarded by the 
Secretary under this subchapter:
            ``(1) Sections 102102 and 102901 of this title.
            ``(2) Section 1302 of title 40.
    ``(b) Proceeds From Leases.--The proceeds from any lease or housing 
partnership agreement under this subchapter from which the Service 
directly collects the proceeds shall be retained by the Service and 
deposited in the special fund established for repair, maintenance, 
rehabilitation, and operations of housing units and quarters and 
associated facilities and infrastructure.''; and
            (8) in section 101340--
                    (A) by amending subsection (a) to strike ``, in 
                sequential order,''; and
                    (B) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
    ``(b) Annual Budget Submittal.--Each fiscal year, the President's 
proposed budget to Congress shall include--
            ``(1) identification of non-construction funds to be spent 
        for Service housing maintenance and operations that are in 
        addition to rental receipts collected;
            ``(2) the use of each of the authorities provided to the 
        Service under this subchapter;
            ``(3) the number of additional housing units needed within 
        the National Park System;
            ``(4) any barriers that have been identified to providing 
        the needed housing; and
            ``(5) any recommendations for changes to existing 
        authorities that would help to remove those barriers.''.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 499

117th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 7615

                          [Report No. 117-682]

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