[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 99 (Thursday, June 13, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S3521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 520. Mr. WARNER (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, and Mr. Kaine)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S.
1790, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2020 for military
activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and
for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe
military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle C of title XXX, add the following:
SEC. 3048. IMPROVEMENTS TO PRIVATIZED MILITARY HOUSING.
(a) Mold Assessment and Remediation.--The Secretary
concerned shall establish standard mold assessment and mold
remediation requirements and standard operating procedures
for mold assessment and remediation in agreements entered
into with landlords of privatized military housing under the
jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned based on Federal
Government guidelines and industry standards.
(b) Advisory Group on Privatized Military Housing
Agreements.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish a
temporary and independent advisory group to assist the
Department of Defense in the renegotiation of agreements with
landlords of privatized military housing.
(2) Members.--The Secretary shall appoint to the advisory
group under paragraph (1) subject matters experts--
(A) from Federal agencies other than the Department of
Defense; and
(B) from outside the Federal Government.
(3) Duties.--The advisory group under paragraph (1) shall
ensure that agreements with landlords of privatized military
housing require the following:
(A) The oversight of privatized military housing by
independent, credentialed, and high-quality housing
inspectors.
(B) The adherence of landlords to Federal, State, and local
laws relating to environmental and safety hazards.
(C) The use of appropriately credentialed and skilled
contractors for maintenance.
(D) Direct access by tenants to a tenant housing advocate.
(E) The establishment of an independent third-party arbiter
for dispute resolution.
(F) The issuance of clear penalties for the landlord when
the landlord does not meet its obligations under the
agreement.
(4) Termination.--The advisory group established under
paragraph (1) shall terminate on the date that is one year
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Training for Military Housing Professionals.--The
Secretary of Defense shall ensure that military housing
professionals at each installation of the Department of
Defense are trained on issues relating to environmental and
safety hazards and State and local laws.
(d) Roles of State and Local Housing Authorities.--The
Secretary of Defense shall clarify to each landlord of
privatized military housing and each State in which
privatized military housing is located the roles and
responsibilities of State and local housing authorities in
the oversight of privatized military housing units.
(e) Secretary Concerned Defined.--In this section, the term
``Secretary concerned'' has the meaning given that term in
section 101(9) of title 10, United States Code.
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