[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4309 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4309

    To require the Secretary of Defense to conduct an evaluation of 
   relocation assistance programs available to members of the Armed 
                                Forces.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 9, 2024

 Mr. Rubio (for himself and Mr. Ossoff) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To require the Secretary of Defense to conduct an evaluation of 
   relocation assistance programs available to members of the Armed 
                                Forces.

    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 ``Relocation Assistance for Military 
Families Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. EVALUATION OF RELOCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct an in-depth 
evaluation of relocation assistance programs carried out under section 
1056 of title 10, United States Code, and the use of such programs by 
members of the Armed Forces.
    (b) Elements.--The evaluation required by subsection (a) shall 
include the following:
            (1) An analysis of whether the relocation assistance 
        programs offered by the Department of Defense as of the date of 
        the enactment of this Act--
                    (A) conform to the requirements for such programs 
                under section 1056 of title 10, United States Code; and
                    (B) meet the needs of members of the Armed Forces.
            (2) An identification of the relocation assistance programs 
        most frequently used by members, including an identification of 
        the key factors that contribute to such usage.
            (3) An identification of--
                    (A) specific barriers faced by members in accessing 
                effective relocation assistance; and
                    (B) strategies to mitigate those barriers.
            (4) An identification of a representative sample of 
        military installations located in high-cost areas and, with 
        respect to such installations, an assessment of the following:
                    (A) The success of relocation assistance programs 
                at such installations.
                    (B) Partnerships between such installations and 
                local communities aimed at helping alleviate financial 
                burdens for members, specifically related to housing.
                    (C) Housing supply for members, both accompanied 
                and unaccompanied by dependents, comparing supply with 
                total need.
            (5) An analysis of the support mechanisms available as of 
        the date of the enactment of this Act for military families 
        facing significant financial burdens as a result of permanent 
        changes of station to high-cost areas.
    (c) Consultations.--In conducting the evaluation required by 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the following:
            (1) Military family support organizations.
            (2) Members of the Armed Forces who have recently undergone 
        permanent changes of station, both accompanied and 
        unaccompanied by dependents.
            (3) Members who have used relocation assistance services, 
        with a focus on those who have moved to or from high-cost 
        areas.
            (4) Commanders of military installations.
            (5) A selection of State and local officials that represent 
        areas in the vicinity of military installations.
            (6) The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation of 
        the Department of Defense.
            (7) Housing and urban development experts with expertise in 
        accommodations in high-cost areas.
            (8) Such other individuals or organizations as the 
        Secretary considers appropriate.
    (d) Best Practices Guide.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        completion of the evaluation required by subsection (a), the 
        Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of 
        the military departments, shall publish a best practices guide 
        to be used by the leadership of military installations and by 
        local communities to assist members of the Armed Forces with 
        accessing relocation assistance programs.
            (2) Elements.--The best practices guide required by 
        paragraph (1) shall address access to relocation assistance 
        programs determined, pursuant to the evaluation conducted under 
        subsection (a), to be successful in assisting members who make 
        permanent changes of station to high-cost areas. Such programs 
        shall include programs offered both through the Department of 
        Defense and through local communities.
    (e) Report Required.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees (as defined in section 101 of title 
10, United States Code) a report that includes the following:
            (1) Detailed findings from the evaluation conducted under 
        subsection (a).
            (2) The best practices guide required by subsection (d), 
        not later than 30 days before publication of the guide.
            (3) Recommendations for legislative or policy changes to 
        relocation assistance programs to better fulfill the objectives 
        of section 1056 of title 10, United States Code.
            (4) A roadmap, including projected timelines and resources 
        required, for--
                    (A) implementation and integration of the best 
                practices set forth in the guide; and
                    (B) addressing the needs of members of the Armed 
                Forces making permanent changes of station to high-cost 
                areas.
    (f) Review of Best Practices Guide Implementation.--Not later than 
3 years after the best practices guide required by subsection (d) is 
published, the Comptroller General of the United States shall review 
the implementation of the guide, relocation assistance programs, and 
other resources provided to members of the Armed Forces to assist such 
members with permanent changes of station, specifically focusing on 
high-cost areas.
    (g) High-Cost Area Defined.--
            (1) In general.--In this section, the term ``high-cost 
        area'' shall have the meaning determined by the Secretary of 
        Defense in regulations prescribed in accordance with paragraph 
        (2).
            (2) Regulations.--In prescribing regulations defining the 
        term ``high-cost area'' for purposes of this section, the 
        Secretary shall--
                    (A) solicit and incorporate feedback from--
                            (i) appropriate officials of the General 
                        Services Administration who work on relevant 
                        matters; and
                            (ii) individuals and entities described in 
                        subsection (c); and
                    (B) consider relevant factors from across various 
                Federal agencies that may indicate areas that are high 
                cost, such as the non-standard per diem rates of the 
                General Services Administration.
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