MOLD Act
Sponsored By: Representative Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
Introduced
Summary
Safer, healthier standards for military family housing. The bill would require the Department of Defense to set indoor humidity targets, ventilation and moisture controls, testing and inspection methods, and enforceable mold remediation rules.
Show full summary
- Families and tenants would get faster, clearer results. Environmental inspection and test results must be shared with tenants within 10 days, and failed units must be remediated or tenants may be relocated within 30 days if they choose.
- Privatized housing providers would bear stronger financial and contractual obligations. New and renewed project agreements must meet the standards and providers would pay for third-party inspections, maintenance, certified mold remediation, relocations, and Basic Allowance for Housing refunds; the Department must insert enforceable clauses within 180 days where practicable.
- Department-wide transparency and oversight would increase. An Assistant Secretary is designated as Chief Housing Officer to compile standardized quarterly reports and annual public reports on complaints, inspections, remediation timelines, contractor compliance, and command awareness, and the Department may audit, review, and enforce compliance including suspending housing-related bonuses for systemic failures.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Privatized housing providers pay repairs
This bill would require privatized military housing contracts signed or renewed on or after enactment to make the private provider pay for third-party inspections, maintenance, certified mold cleanup, and tenant relocations. Providers would also have to pay for property loss and refund any Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) paid for families forced to vacate uninhabitable units. The Secretary would have 180 days to insert these enforceable clauses and could audit noncompliant providers, notify installation commanders, and suspend housing-related bonuses for systemic failures. If enacted, this would shift direct cleanup and relocation costs away from military families.
New indoor humidity and mold standards
This bill would direct the Department of Defense to issue interim indoor humidity and moisture guidance within 180 days and final enforceable standards within one year. Final rules would set indoor relative humidity targets (defined as under 50 percent), require ventilation and moisture-control measures, require specific inspection and testing methods, and adopt the ANSI/IICRC S520 mold remediation standard. The bill would also require that testing results be reported to the Secretary and given to tenants within 10 days after sample collection. People who test or clean mold in covered housing would need current certifications from recognized third‑party nonprofit certifiers.
Stronger inspections and tenant rights
This bill would require independent certified third‑party inspections at tenant turnover, after tenant complaints, and after remediation or repairs. Inspections would check HVAC, plumbing, structure, water intrusion, hidden or visible mold, and indoor air quality, and be recorded as a standardized pass or fail in a unit history that tenants can see. If a unit fails inspection, the unit would be remediated or tenants relocated within 30 days if tenants request relocation. The bill would strengthen tenant complaint tools with a 24/7 hotline and website, require housing offices to respond within five business days and provide written findings, and create a Chief Housing Officer to compile quarterly reports, retain raw data for five years, and publish an annual public report by installation.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large]
GU • R
Sponsored 1/21/2026
Bilirakis
FL • R
Sponsored 1/21/2026
Bean (FL)
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
LaLota
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
Pfluger
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
Davis (NC)
NC • D
Sponsored 4/16/2026
Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2]
NH • D
Sponsored 4/22/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov