Text of Senate Amendment 6518

On 2026-06-24, Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6518" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6518

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3629] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6518. Mr. WARNER (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the end of subtitle B of title XXVIII, add the following: SEC. 2829. DESIGNATION OF CRITICAL HOUSING AREAS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP RESPONSE PLANS. Subchapter III of chapter 169 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2869 the following new section: ``Sec. 2869a. Critical housing areas and community partnership response plans ``(a) Designation of Critical Housing Areas.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish a process to identify and designate geographic areas in the vicinity of military installations in which shortages of available and affordable housing materially affect members of the armed forces and their families. Any area so designated shall be known as a `critical housing area'. ``(b) Factors for Consideration.-- ``(1) In general.--In carrying out the designation of critical housing areas under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall develop criteria for such designation that includes, at a minimum, the following factors: ``(A) Rental vacancy rates. ``(B) Housing cost burdens borne by members of the armed forces and their families. ``(C) Availability of housing suitable for families of different sizes and for junior enlisted members of the armed forces. ``(D) Length and burden of commuting patterns. ``(E) Availability of temporary lodging and transition housing options. ``(F) Barriers to housing production or occupancy, including land-use, zoning, infrastructure, permitting, transportation, utility, and school-capacity constraints. ``(G) Such other factors as the Secretary determines appropriate. ``(2) Public comment.--The Secretary shall solicit and include in the criteria developed under paragraph (1) public comments from stakeholders. ``(c) Publication and Updates.--The Secretary of Defense shall-- ``(1) maintain a list of critical housing areas designated under subsection (a); ``(2) update such list not less frequently than annually; and ``(3) submit to the congressional defense committees notice of each new designation, redesignation, or termination of designation under subsection (a), together with a brief explanation of the basis therefor. ``(d) Community Partnership Response Plan.-- ``(1) In general.--For each critical housing area designated under subsection (a), the Secretary concerned, acting through the relevant installation commander or commanders, shall develop a community partnership response plan. ``(2) Consultation.--In developing a response plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall consult, as appropriate, with-- ``(A) State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments; ``(B) public housing agencies, housing finance agencies, and housing authorities; ``(C) metropolitan planning organizations and regional planning bodies; ``(D) transit, utility, and infrastructure authorities; ``(E) partners in providing housing under subchapter IV of this chapter, as appropriate; and ``(F) such other public or private entities as the Secretary concerned determines appropriate. ``(3) Required elements of plan.--Each community partnership response plan under paragraph (1) shall include-- ``(A) an assessment of local housing market conditions affecting members of the armed forces and their families; ``(B) identification of the principal drivers of housing unaffordability, housing shortage, or housing inaccessibility in the area; ``(C) an assessment of local regulatory, land-use, infrastructure, transportation, utility, school-capacity, or permitting barriers affecting housing availability; ``(D) a description of Federal, State, local, and private tools already in use to address such barriers; ``(E) recommended near-term and long-term actions to improve housing supply, affordability, or access; ``(F) estimated costs and potential sources of support for such actions; ``(G) measurable outcomes and implementation timelines; and ``(H) any recommendations for administrative or legislative action. ``(e) Coordination With Existing Authorities.--The Secretary of Defense shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that activities under this section are coordinated with other authorities of the Department of Defense relating to housing (including housing under subchapter IV of this title), installation-community partnerships, and intergovernmental support. ``(f) Annual Report.--Not later than March 1 of each year, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report setting forth-- ``(1) each critical housing area designated under subsection (a); ``(2) the status of each community partnership response plan developed under subsection (d); ``(3) early performance outcomes associated with activities assisted under this section; and ``(4) any statutory or regulatory barriers identified by installations or communities.''. ______