WASHINGTON D.C., DC — The National Defense Authorization Act was released Wednesday by the Senate Armed Services Committee and it includes reforms to address how problems at contractor-provided military housing are addressed.
In the act, there are key provisions of the Ensuring Safe Housing for our Military Act, legislation introduced by the senators in April after a Reuters investigation found hazardous living conditions in privatized military housing throughout the United States. The investigation found service members and their families living in homes with persistent mold blooms, water leaks and rodent and insect infestations.
The reforms include withholding basic allowance for housing payments to private housing contractors if a service member and contractor are in dispute over housing conditions.
The Act, if passed will also withhold incentive fees to contractors if they fail to remedy a health or environmental hazards.
It will require contractors to pay for relocations costs if a service member must temporarily leave their home due to an environmental or health hazard. They will also be required to offer service members access to their electronic work order systems so that tenants can track the progress of their requests.
The new reforms also target requiring the development of common credentials across the military for health and safety inspectors.
Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) all contributed to the reforms.
View the full National Defense Authorization Act below: