Military Housing Readiness Council Act

Bill: 118-s-2047
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced: 2023-06-20
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Latest action: action_date: 2023-06-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-06-20
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Military Housing Readiness Council Act</strong></p> <p>This bill establishes the Department of Defense Military Housing Readiness Council to review and make recommendations to the Department of Defense (DOD) regarding policies for privatized military housing. </p> <p>The council must also monitor compliance by DOD with statutory and regulatory improvements to policies for privatized military housing and make recommendations to improve collaboration, awareness, and promotion of accurate and timely information about privatized military housing, accommodations available through the Exceptional Family Member Program, and other support services among policymakers, service providers, and targeted beneficiaries.</p> <p>The council must make all documents publicly available until the council ceases to exist.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2047 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Military Housing Readiness Council Act . 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: 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. .