S-1980 : Still Just a Bill

The Military Housing Wait Times Accountability Act, also known as S. 1980, addresses housing concerns for military families. The bill mandates the Secretary of Defense to provide temporary housing accommodations for members of the Armed Forces and their dependents who are on a waitlist for on-base housing longer than 10 days after arriving at a new duty station due to a permanent change of station. The accommodations must be suitable for the family's size and composition, with costs capped at the member's basic allowance for housing.

Additionally, the Act requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees within 180 days of enactment. This report must include:

• Installation-specific data on the number of military families on housing waitlists.
• The amount of time these families spend waiting for housing.
• An analysis of the factors contributing to these waitlists.
• An assessment of the reasons for waitlist durations exceeding 10 days.