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H.R. 5972House118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Military Housing Wait Times Accountability Act

Sponsored by Joe NeguseRep. Joe Neguse (D-CO)
Introduced October 17, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 12:19 PM UTC

The Military Housing Wait Times Accountability Act requires the Secretary of Defense to give temporary housing to service members and their families who are on a permanent change of station housing waitlist for more than ten days. It also mandates a detailed report to congressional defense committees about the extent and causes of these waitlists. The bill affects military families awaiting on‑base housing and the Department of Defense.

Key Provisions

  • The Secretary of Defense must provide temporary accommodations to service members and dependents on a housing waitlist for any period exceeding ten days after arrival at a new duty station, with costs limited to the basic housing allowance for that member.
  • Within 180 days of the law’s enactment, the Secretary must submit a report to the defense committees detailing installation‑specific waitlist numbers, individual wait times, factors creating the waitlists, and reasons for wait periods longer than ten days.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

October 25, 2023

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 17, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

October 25, 2023

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 25, 2023

I

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 5972

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 17, 2023

Mr. Neguse introduced the following bill

October 25, 2023

Referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Defense to provide temporary housing for military families on housing waitlists.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Military Housing Wait Times Accountability Act.

2.

Housing accommodations for military families on housing waitlists

(a)

Waitlist accommodations

The Secretary of Defense shall provide to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents who, when undergoing a permanent change of station, are placed on a waitlist for on-base housing for a period of more than 10 days following the date of arrival at the new location, temporary accommodations for the entire duration of such period appropriate for the total size and composition of the family of the member and at a rate not to exceed the basic allowance for housing calculated for such member under section 403 of title 37, United States Code.

(b)

Report

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing—

(1)

installation-specific data on the number of members of the Armed Forces and their dependents on military housing waitlists;

(2)

an identification of the time spent by each such member and their dependents awaiting appropriate housing accommodations;

(3)

an analysis of the factors that are creating the need for such waitlists; and

(4)

an assessment of the causes of waitlist durations that exceed 10 days.