← Back to Bills
H.R. 5230House118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Basic Allowance for Housing Calculation Improvement Act of 2023

Sponsored by Don BaconRep. Don Bacon (R-NE)
Introduced August 18, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC

The bill directs the Secretary of Defense to start a pilot program that contracts a nationally recognized housing data organization to calculate the monthly Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates using standard machine learning and artificial intelligence methods. The pilot must cover at least 15 military housing areas and be set up by September 30, 2024. After the program runs, the Secretary must report the results to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees within two years of the law’s enactment. The measure aims to improve how BAH rates are determined for service members.

Key Provisions

  • The Secretary of Defense must seek an agreement with a covered entity to calculate BAH rates using AI/ML for at least 15 military housing areas, with the contract in place no later than September 30, 2024.
  • The Secretary must submit an evaluation report on the AI‑generated rates to the Armed Services committees of both chambers within two years after the act’s enactment.
  • Defines “BAH” as the basic allowance for housing, “covered entity” as a nationally recognized single‑family housing data provider, and “MHA” as a military housing area.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action
HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

August 18, 2023

View full timeline
HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

August 18, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

August 18, 2023

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode
Latest
Raw Text PDF XML
Introduced in HouseIssued August 18, 2023

I

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 5230

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 18, 2023

Mr. Bacon introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary enters into a contract for the calculation, using industry standard machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms, of the monthly rates of basic allowance for housing for certain military housing areas, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Basic Allowance for Housing Calculation Improvement Act of 2023.

2.

Basic allowance for housing: pilot program to outsource rate calculation

(a)

In general

Not later than September 30, 2024, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into an agreement with a covered entity pursuant to which the covered entity shall calculate, using industry standard machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms, the monthly rates of BAH for not fewer than 15 MHAs.

(b)

Report

Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing the evaluation of the Secretary of the rates calculated by a covered entity pursuant to an agreement under subsection (a).

(c)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The term BAH means the basic allowance for housing for members of the uniformed services under section 403 of title 37, United States Code.

(2)

The term covered entity means a nationally recognized entity in the field of single-family housing that has data on local rental rates in real estate markets across the United States.

(3)

The term MHA means military housing area.