Federal RuleAug 21
62
DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-hr-7188119th CongressWALLET
MOLD Act
Sponsored By: Representative Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
Introduced
Summary
Minimum health and safety standards for military family housing would be set to address mold, dampness, poor ventilation, and water intrusion in both privatized and Department of Defense-managed homes. The bill pairs a two-stage timeline for standards (an interim rule within 180 days and a final rule within 1 year) with mandatory third-party inspections, a 24/7 tenant complaint system, and rules making providers pay for inspections, remediation, relocations, and refunds when units are uninhabitable.
Show full summary
- Families and tenants would gain access to housing histories and inspection reports through a secure portal, a 24/7 hotline and website for complaints, and the option to be relocated or receive a Basic Allowance for Housing refund when a unit fails inspection; relocations would be required within 30 days if requested.
- Installation commanders and DoD housing offices would have to certify compliance annually, document inspection results and work orders, respond to complaints within 5 business days, and report standardized data quarterly to a Chief Housing Officer and oversight bodies.
- Privatized housing providers would face enforceable contract requirements for new agreements, pay for third-party inspections and certified mold remediation that meets ANSI/IICRC S520 standards, cover relocation and property-loss costs, and provide refunds when tenants must vacate.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Independent mold inspections and relocation
This bill would require independent, certified third-party mold and environmental inspections for privatized housing at move-out, on tenant safety or habitability complaints, and after any remediation. Inspections would cover HVAC, plumbing, electrical, structure, water intrusion, dampness, humidity, visible and hidden mold, and review work orders and contractor compliance. Results would be recorded in a standard federal record with a clear "pass" or "fail", kept in each unit's history, given to current tenants, and made available to incoming tenants on request. If a unit fails inspection, you would be able to request relocation and the unit must be remediated or you relocated within 30 days. Inspectors and remediators would need current certifications from nationally recognized nonprofit certifying bodies.
Indoor humidity and mold rules
This bill would require the Secretary of Defense to issue interim environmental standards within 180 days and final standards within one year for humidity, ventilation, dampness, and water intrusion in covered housing. The bill would define acceptable indoor relative humidity as less than 50 percent. It would require testing methods such as visual inspections, air sampling, tape lifts, swabs, carpet samples, and laboratory analysis. Testing results would be reported to the Secretary and provided to tenants of affected units not later than 10 days after sample collection. Mold remediation would have to follow the ANSI/IICRC S520 professional standard (Fourth Edition or later).
Privatized housing pays for repairs
This bill would require privatized military housing agreements and renewals after enactment to include enforceable DoD environmental health and safety requirements. To the extent practicable, existing agreements would be modified within 180 days. Privatized housing providers would bear financial responsibility for third-party inspections, maintenance, mold remediation, all relocation expenses for families forced to vacate uninhabitable units, property losses, and refunding any basic allowance for housing amounts paid for vacated units (under 37 U.S.C. 403). For systemic noncompliance, the Secretary could notify command leadership, audit providers, and suspend eligibility for housing-related bonuses.
Quarterly military housing reports and hotline
This bill would name the Assistant Secretary for Energy, Installations, and Environment as a Chief Housing Officer to collect and compile reports. Each military housing office would send standardized reports at least quarterly and certify annual compliance with health and safety rules. The Defense Housing Feedback System would be modified within 180 days to provide a 24/7 tenant hotline and website with installation-level complaint data (PII redacted). Installation housing offices would respond to tenant complaints within five business days and keep raw data and logs for at least five years.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
FL • D
Sponsored 10/6/2026
Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]
VA • D
Sponsored 10/26/2026
Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large]
GU • R
Sponsored 1/21/2026
Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]
FL • R
Sponsored 1/21/2026
Rep. Bean, Aaron [R-FL-4]
FL • R
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2]
SC • R
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]
NE • R
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/4/2026
Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1]
NY • R
Sponsored 2/20/2026
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2026
Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]
PA • D
Sponsored 3/25/2026
Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11]
TX • R
Sponsored 3/30/2026
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 4/2/2026
Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]
HI • D
Sponsored 4/9/2026
Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]
NC • D
Sponsored 4/16/2026
Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2]
NH • D
Sponsored 4/22/2026
Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6]
PA • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
MO • D
Sponsored 6/18/2026
Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31]
CA • D
Sponsored 8/27/2026
Rep. Moore, Tim [R-NC-14]
NC • R
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 9/8/2026
Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/14/2026
Rep. Gimenez, Carlos A. [R-FL-28]
FL • R
Sponsored 9/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov