[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7615 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7615
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into partnerships
to develop housing, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 28, 2022
Mr. Moore of Utah (for himself and Mr. Panetta) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into partnerships
to develop housing, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Lodging Options Developed for
Government Employees Act'' or the ``LODGE Act''.
SEC. 2. HOUSING PARTNERSHIPS; OCCUPANCY.
Subchapter III of chapter 1013 of title 54, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) by amending section 101331 to read as follows:
``Sec. 101331. Definitions
``In this subchapter:
``(1) Field employee.--
``(A) In general.--The term `field employee'
means--
``(i) an employee of the Service;
``(ii) an individual who is authorized to
occupy and lease government quarters, as
determined by the Secretary and under section
5911 of title 5; or
``(iii) an employee of the Federal
Government who is--
``(I) eligible to live in
government housing; and
``(II) not an employee of the
Service.
``(B) Household members.--The term `field employee'
includes the members of the household of each
individual described in subparagraph (A).
``(2) Housing partnership agreement.--The term `housing
partnership agreement' means an agreement, lease, or contract
entered into under section 101334(a).
``(3) Member of the public.--The term `member of the
public'--
``(A) means an individual who is not a field
employee; and
``(B) includes the members of such individual's
household.
``(4) Primary resource values.--The term `primary resource
values' means resources that are specifically mentioned in the
enabling legislation for that field unit or other resource
value recognized under Federal statute.
``(5) Project.--The term `project' means housing developed
under an agreement entered into under this subchapter.
``(6) Public lands.--The term `public lands' means lands
under the administrative jurisdiction of the Federal
Government.
``(7) Quarters.--The term `quarters' means housing owned or
leased by the Federal Government, or the subject of a housing
partnership agreement under this subchapter.'';
(2) in section 101332(a)(2), by striking ``rates'' and
inserting ``affordable rates'';
(3) in section 101333, by inserting ``or affordability''
after ``lack of availability'';
(4) by amending section 101334 to read as follows:
``(a) In General.--The Secretary may, pursuant to the authorities
contained in this subchapter and subject to the appropriation of
necessary funds in advance, enter into agreements, leases, or contracts
with other Federal agencies, State or local governments, Tribal
Governments, housing entities, or other public or private
organizations, for the purposes of developing, constructing,
rehabilitating, or managing housing for rent to field employees and
members of the public--
``(1) on public lands, including System units;
``(2) off public lands in the vicinity of System units; or
``(3) a combination of public lands described in paragraphs
(1) and (2).
``(b) Terms and Conditions.--
``(1) National park lands.--For any housing partnership
agreements for housing on lands under the administrative
jurisdiction of the Service, the Secretary shall ensure--
``(A) the housing and related facilities and the
use thereof are in conformity with the approved plans
for the field unit and Director's orders and reference
manuals related to Service housing;
``(B) that the location of the housing and related
facilities will avoid degradation to the primary
resource values within the field unit, and will not
adversely affect the mission of the Service; and
``(C) that the agreements include any other terms
and conditions the Secretary may consider advisable to
protect the interests of the United States.
``(2) Other public or private lands.--For any housing
partnership agreements for housing on other public or private
lands not under the administrative jurisdiction of the Service,
the Secretary shall ensure the agreements--
``(A) have received the authorization of each
Federal agency, State or local government, or other
public or private entity involved;
``(B) identify both the Federal and non-Federal
funding to be used in completing the housing and
related facilities; and
``(C) any other terms and conditions the Secretary
may consider advisable to protect the interests of the
United States.
``(c) Housing Occupancy.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may allow field employees
and members of the public to occupy and lease project quarters.
``(2) Compliance.--Members of the public occupying quarters
shall be subject to the same laws and policies with which field
employees are required to comply, as applicable.
``(3) Prohibition.--Field employees and members of the
public shall be prohibited from subleasing housing established
under this subchapter.
``(4) Preference.--To the maximum extent practicable,
priority for occupancy in project quarters shall be given to
field employees.
``(d) Contracting Procedures.--Each contract awarded pursuant to
this section shall be awarded through the use of publicly advertised,
competitively bid, or competitively negotiated contracting procedures,
unless the Secretary--
``(1) determines that it is in the public interest to use
procedures other than competitive procedures with respect to
the particular contract concerned; and
``(2) not less than 30 days before the award of the
contract, notifies, in writing, the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural
Resources of the House of Representatives of such determination
and the rationale for such determination.
``(e) Rent.--
``(1) Collection.--The Secretary may allow partners in
agreements entered into under this section to collect rents
directly from housing occupants.
``(2) Rates.--For field employees, rent collected under
this subsection may not exceed the rates determined pursuant to
guidance in the document entitled `Circular No. A-45 Revised'
and dated November 25, 2019 (or subsequent guidance).
``(f) Leases and Limited Ownership.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may allow long-term leases
or term-limited ownership of buildings on public lands, as
appropriate, to facilitate the ability of an entity with whom a
housing partnership agreement has been entered into under
subsection (b) to secure financing.
``(2) Expiration of term.--
``(A) In general.--Upon expiration of a term of
ownership under paragraph (1), the Secretary may--
``(i) renew the housing partnership
agreement;
``(ii) take ownership of the buildings; or
``(iii) enter into a new agreement.
``(B) Covering costs.--If taking ownership of
buildings under subparagraph (A)(ii), the Secretary may
require the owner whose term of ownership is expiring
to cover costs associated with preparing the building
site for new or continued use.'';
(5) in section 101335--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``50''
and inserting ``60'';
(ii) in paragraph (2)--
(I) by striking ``procedures.'' and
inserting ``procedures, unless--''; and
(II) by adding at the end the
following:
``(A) the lease is awarded to a nonprofit or
government entity; or
``(B) the Secretary determines that it is in the
public interest to use procedures other than
competitive procedures in the particular lease
concerned and notifies, in writing, the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives of such determination and the rationale
for such determination.''.
(iii) in paragraph (3)(D), by inserting ``,
affordability,'' after ``improve the quality'';
and
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); and
(ii) by inserting after paragraph (1) the
following:
``(2) Terms and conditions.--Any arrangement made pursuant
to this subsection shall contain such terms and conditions as
the Secretary considers necessary or appropriate to protect the
interests of the United States and ensure that necessary
quarters are available to field employees.''; and
(C) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph
(3);
(6) by amending section 101338 to read as follows:
``(a) Exemption From Leasing Requirement.--The following provisions
shall not apply to leases issued by the Secretary under this section:
``(1) Sections 102102 and 102901 of this title.
``(2) Section 1302 of title 40.
``(b) Proceeds From Leases.--The proceeds from any lease under
section 101335(a)(1) or 101337 of this title from which the Service
directly collects the proceeds shall be retained by the Service and
deposited in the special fund established for repair, maintenance,
rehabilitation, and operations of quarters and associated
infrastructure.''; and
(7) in section 101340, by amending subsection (b) to read
as follows:
``(b) Annual Budget Submittal.--Each fiscal year, the President's
proposed budget to Congress shall include--
``(1) identification of non-construction funds to be spent
for Service housing maintenance and operations that are in
addition to rental receipts collected;
``(2) the use of each of the authorities provided to the
Service under this subchapter;
``(3) the number of additional housing units needed within
the National Park System;
``(4) any barriers that have been identified to providing
the needed housing; and
``(5) any recommendations for changes to existing
authorities that would help to remove those barriers.''.
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