H.R. 5121 – Healthy Servicemembers Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 10:52 AM UTC

The Healthy Servicemembers Act amends Title 10 of the U.S. Code to require the Department of Defense to screen military personnel and their families for health problems caused by unsafe housing, and to create a registry of those individuals. It also mandates a public outreach effort to inform eligible persons about the program.

Key Provisions

The Secretary of Defense must ensure all military medical treatment facilities screen eligible service members and family members for conditions linked to unsafe housing.
A permanent registry must be established and maintained for individuals with such covered conditions, containing information needed to monitor health and housing links.
The Department must conduct a public information campaign to explain the registry, how to enroll, and its benefits.
Definitions set “covered condition” as a medical issue determined to result from an unsafe housing unit; “eligible individual” as a service member or family member who lived in such housing; and “unsafe housing unit” as one that fails housing quality standards or has dangerous mold pollution.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

August 1, 2023

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

August 1, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

August 1, 2023

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued August 1, 2023

I

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 5121

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 1, 2023

Ms. Porter (for herself and Ms. Jacobs) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To amend title 10, United States Code, to screen and register individuals with health conditions resulting from unsafe housing units.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Healthy Servicemembers Act.

2.

Screening and registry of individuals with health conditions resulting from unsafe housing units

(a)

In general

Subchapter V of chapter 169 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

2895.

Screening and registry of individuals with health conditions resulting from unsafe housing units

(a)

Screening

(1)

In general

The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with appropriate scientific agencies as determined by the Secretary, shall ensure that all military medical treatment facilities screen eligible individuals for covered conditions.

(2)

Establishment of procedures

The Secretary may establish procedures through which screening under paragraph (1) may allow an eligible individual to be included in the registry under subsection (b).

(b)

Registry

(1)

In general

The Secretary of Defense shall establish and maintain a registry of eligible individuals who have a covered condition.

(2)

Inclusion of information

The Secretary shall include any information in the registry under paragraph (1) that the Secretary determines necessary to ascertain and monitor the health of eligible individuals and the connection between the health of such individuals and an unsafe housing unit.

(3)

Public information campaign

The Secretary shall develop a public information campaign to inform eligible individuals about the registry under paragraph (1), including how to register and the benefits of registering.

(c)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The term covered condition means a medical condition that is determined by the Secretary of Defense to have resulted from residing in an unsafe housing unit.

(2)

The term eligible individual means a member of the armed forces or a family member of a member of the armed forces who has resided in an unsafe housing unit.

(3)

The term unsafe housing unit means a dwelling unit that—

(A)

does not meet the housing quality standards established under section 8(o)(8)(B) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(8)(B)); or

(B)

is not free from dangerous air pollution levels from mold.

.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of such subchapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2894a the following new item:

2895. Screening and registry of individuals with health conditions resulting from unsafe housing units.

.