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Lawmakers demand answers on slow pace of corrections on military housing crisis

Senators question if any of the 14 companies overseeing units are doing anything right.

WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Exasperated lawmakers told the nation's uniformed and civilian leadership they are dissatisfied with how they're doing in resolving the military's on-going privatized housing crisis.

"My question to you all is when is enough, enough?" asked Sen.
Thom Tillis, (R-North Carolina) at a meeting Tuesday of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Sen. Martha McSally (R-Arizona) was even more pointed.

"I see there's basically 14 companies involved in privatized military housing," she said. "Are any of them not acting like slum lords? Are any of them doing a good job? Any of them?"

Elizabeth Field from the Government Accountability Office replied: "Senator, I wouldn't want to characterize any company as doing a good job or doing a bad job."

The well-documented complaints include mold, water damage, pest infestation and perhaps most concerning, general indifference from the companies contracted to manage these properties for the country's s war-fighters and their families.

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The Chief of Naval Operations said one goal is to empower base commanders to take immediate action against private housing companies when there is a problem.

"So that when a sailor and his family have an issue we can respond immediately and not put it on the back burner," said ADM Michael Gilday.

Sen.Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) took exception with a recent GAO survey which suggested an astounding 87 percent tenant satisfaction rate.

Kaine noted that the survey did not ask if the residents were happy with their r individual unit but, wit the overall community in which they live.

"The fact that the answer to that question is 87-percent tells us precisely nothing about what people think about their housing," he said.

RELATED: 'These failures are unacceptable' | Air Force demands improvement plan from private military housing company

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) added: "I think we should all agree that we got bad information, inaccurate information. And, we ought to completely re-think how we as the question so that we can find out what the troops are really thinking there."

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