[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S3629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6518. Mr. WARNER (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 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 B of title XXVIII, add the 
     following:

     SEC. 2829. DESIGNATION OF CRITICAL HOUSING AREAS AND 
                   COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP RESPONSE PLANS.

       Subchapter III of chapter 169 of title 10, United States 
     Code, is amended by inserting after section 2869 the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 2869a. Critical housing areas and community 
       partnership response plans

       ``(a) Designation of Critical Housing Areas.--The Secretary 
     of Defense shall establish a process to identify and 
     designate geographic areas in the vicinity of military 
     installations in which shortages of available and affordable 
     housing materially affect members of the armed forces and 
     their families. Any area so designated shall be known as a 
     `critical housing area'.
       ``(b) Factors for Consideration.--
       ``(1) In general.--In carrying out the designation of 
     critical housing areas under subsection (a), the Secretary of 
     Defense shall develop criteria for such designation that 
     includes, at a minimum, the following factors:
       ``(A) Rental vacancy rates.
       ``(B) Housing cost burdens borne by members of the armed 
     forces and their families.
       ``(C) Availability of housing suitable for families of 
     different sizes and for junior enlisted members of the armed 
     forces.
       ``(D) Length and burden of commuting patterns.
       ``(E) Availability of temporary lodging and transition 
     housing options.
       ``(F) Barriers to housing production or occupancy, 
     including land-use, zoning, infrastructure, permitting, 
     transportation, utility, and school-capacity constraints.
       ``(G) Such other factors as the Secretary determines 
     appropriate.
       ``(2) Public comment.--The Secretary shall solicit and 
     include in the criteria developed under paragraph (1) public 
     comments from stakeholders.
       ``(c) Publication and Updates.--The Secretary of Defense 
     shall--
       ``(1) maintain a list of critical housing areas designated 
     under subsection (a);
       ``(2) update such list not less frequently than annually; 
     and
       ``(3) submit to the congressional defense committees notice 
     of each new designation, redesignation, or termination of 
     designation under subsection (a), together with a brief 
     explanation of the basis therefor.
       ``(d) Community Partnership Response Plan.--
       ``(1) In general.--For each critical housing area 
     designated under subsection (a), the Secretary concerned, 
     acting through the relevant installation commander or 
     commanders, shall develop a community partnership response 
     plan.
       ``(2) Consultation.--In developing a response plan under 
     paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall consult, as 
     appropriate, with--
       ``(A) State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments;
       ``(B) public housing agencies, housing finance agencies, 
     and housing authorities;
       ``(C) metropolitan planning organizations and regional 
     planning bodies;
       ``(D) transit, utility, and infrastructure authorities;
       ``(E) partners in providing housing under subchapter IV of 
     this chapter, as appropriate; and
       ``(F) such other public or private entities as the 
     Secretary concerned determines appropriate.
       ``(3) Required elements of plan.--Each community 
     partnership response plan under paragraph (1) shall include--
       ``(A) an assessment of local housing market conditions 
     affecting members of the armed forces and their families;
       ``(B) identification of the principal drivers of housing 
     unaffordability, housing shortage, or housing inaccessibility 
     in the area;
       ``(C) an assessment of local regulatory, land-use, 
     infrastructure, transportation, utility, school-capacity, or 
     permitting barriers affecting housing availability;
       ``(D) a description of Federal, State, local, and private 
     tools already in use to address such barriers;
       ``(E) recommended near-term and long-term actions to 
     improve housing supply, affordability, or access;
       ``(F) estimated costs and potential sources of support for 
     such actions;
       ``(G) measurable outcomes and implementation timelines; and
       ``(H) any recommendations for administrative or legislative 
     action.
       ``(e) Coordination With Existing Authorities.--The 
     Secretary of Defense shall ensure, to the maximum extent 
     practicable, that activities under this section are 
     coordinated with other authorities of the Department of 
     Defense relating to housing (including housing under 
     subchapter IV of this title), installation-community 
     partnerships, and intergovernmental support.
       ``(f) Annual Report.--Not later than March 1 of each year, 
     the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
     defense committees a report setting forth--
       ``(1) each critical housing area designated under 
     subsection (a);
       ``(2) the status of each community partnership response 
     plan developed under subsection (d);
       ``(3) early performance outcomes associated with activities 
     assisted under this section; and
       ``(4) any statutory or regulatory barriers identified by 
     installations or communities.''.
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