HR-5298 : Still Just a Bill

The Military Lodging Reform Act of 2023, also known as H.R. 5298, aims to centralize the oversight of military transient housing within the Department of Defense. Key provisions include:

• Transfer of Authority: It shifts the responsibility for managing lodging intended for military personnel on temporary duty assignments or permanent change of station orders from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment.
• Coordination: The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment is required to coordinate with the corresponding Assistant Secretaries for each military branch (Army, Navy, and Air Force) on matters related to transient housing within their respective departments.
• Implementation Timeline: The Secretary of Defense must transfer duties related to covered transient housing within 90 days of the Act's enactment and certify the completion of this transfer to the congressional defense committees within 180 days.

In short, the bill seeks to streamline the management and oversight of military lodging by consolidating it under a single authority within the Department of Defense.