The Gist: Senators Rev. Raphael Warnock and Lisa Murkowski introduced a bipartisan bill aimed to help service members across Georgia and the country obtain affordable housing. The Basic Allowance for Housing Restoration Act will restore the full benefit, helping service members and their families to meet living expenses by increasing the formula for housing calculations inside the United States to cover the full monthly cost of adequate housing in a base area.
The Details: As part of their efforts to support Georgia’s military families, Warnock and Murkowski introduced a bill that would benefit service members by restoring the full housing benefit that will help them obtain quality and affordable housing.
The bill would restore the Basic Allowance for Housing to 100%, which would alleviate the financial stress on military families and provide them with access to safe and quality housing.
The legislation has been endorsed by several entities such as the Military Officers Association of America, the Military Housing Association, Blue Star Families, The American Legion, The Military Coalition, and the Military Family Advisory Network.
By The Numbers:
- In 2015, Congress changed housing allowance so that the Department could impose cost-sharing on service members.
- This decreased housing coverage from 100% of estimated costs to 95%.
- 69.2% of active duty military family respondents carry the burden of paying more than they can comfortably afford for housing.
- 59.4% of active duty families living off-installation pay more than $251 beyond their housing allowance each month for housing-related expenses.
Why It Matters: The act would be of great benefit to military families who often face housing challenges due to unpredictable markets. According to research by the Military Family Advisory Network, housing costs have made some military families homeless or resulted in chronic money shortfalls. The bill aims to alleviate financial stress and ensure that service members can afford housing costs, boosting national security and improving their quality of life.
What’s Next?: The bill has been introduced in the Senate and House of Representatives. It is currently waiting for further hearings and actions by the respective committees before it can pass both chambers of Congress and be sent to the president for approval.
🇺🇸 About Representing You: This is an ongoing series of news stories devoted to how the officials elected and appointed to represent you are voting and how they are spending their time and your tax dollars.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links, meaning we could earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links.
