MOLD Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7188
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-01-21: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-19T08:06:26Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Military Occupancy Living Defense Act (MOLD Act), H.R. 7188, aims to enhance health and safety standards in military family housing, particularly addressing environmental hazards like mold contamination in privatized military housing. It seeks to protect Armed Forces members and their families from unsafe living conditions, improve oversight of housing providers, and ensure accountability through inspections, reporting, and financial protections.
Key Provisions
- Findings Section: Outlines congressional recognition of issues such as negligent maintenance leading to mold exposure, financial burdens on families (e.g., medical costs, relocations), impacts on military readiness, lack of audits, use of non-disclosure agreements to silence complaints, health risks like respiratory illnesses, gaps in TRICARE coverage for mold-related care, and past contractor fraud.
- Minimum Health and Safety Standards:
- Requires the Secretary of Defense to issue interim guidance within 180 days on acceptable levels of indoor humidity (less than 50%), ventilation, dampness, and water intrusion; final standards must be set within one year, including testing methods and mold remediation protocols.
- Standards mandate reporting inspection results to the Secretary and tenants within 10 days of sample collection.
- Annual certification of compliance by Department of Defense (DoD) housing offices to Congress.
- Independent Inspection Protocol:
- Mandates third-party inspections for all privatized military housing at tenant turnover, upon complaints, or after remediation/repairs.
- Inspections cover HVAC systems, plumbing, electricals, structural integrity, water damage, mold, and air quality; reviews work orders and contractor compliance.
- Results must be recorded in a standardized federal format, certified as "pass" or "fail," maintained historically, and shared with commanders, DoD offices, Inspector General, and congressional committees.
- Reports provided to tenants; incoming tenants can request access; stored in a secure portal for housing staff, Congress, and advocacy personnel.
- Failed units require remediation or tenant relocation (if desired) within 30 days, at provider expense.
- Complaint and Response Mechanism:
- Enhances the Defense Housing Feedback System with a 24/7 hotline and website for reporting hazards; website publishes anonymized complaint data by installation.
- Housing offices must respond to complaints within five business days, track resolutions, and provide written confirmations of findings and actions.
- Requirements for Privatized Military Housing:
- New or renewed contracts must comply with DoD environmental standards; existing contracts updated within 180 days where feasible.
- Contracts include enforceable clauses for hazard response, inspections, and relocations; providers bear full costs for inspections, maintenance, remediation, relocations, property losses, and refunds of housing allowances.
- All mold assessors and remediators must hold certifications from recognized nonprofit bodies (e.g., Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification).
- Mold remediation follows the ANSI/IICRC S520 standard (or successor).
- Guidance and Reporting:
- Secretary issues implementation guidance within 180 days and notifies providers.
- Designates Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment as Chief Housing Officer to compile quarterly reports from housing offices on complaints, work orders, hazards, contractor compliance, retaliation, and command actions.
- Compiled reports submitted quarterly and annually to congressional Armed Services Committees, with briefings including trend analysis; data retained for five years and shared (anonymized) with ombudsmen.
- Enforcement for non-compliance includes notifications, audits, and suspension of bonuses for landlords/contractors.
- Annual public reports on mold complaints, inspection results, remediation timelines/costs, and relocations, published on DoD website.
- Sense of Congress: Urges DoD and Health and Human Services to evaluate mold health risks and consider TRICARE expansions for related medical care.
- Definitions: Clarifies terms like "covered housing" (DoD-owned, leased, or managed military family housing, including privatized), "mold" (specific fungi in damp environments), and inspection methods (visual checks plus lab-analyzed samples).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces mandatory, uniform DoD-wide standards for humidity, ventilation, and mold control in military housing, exceeding or matching national model codes—previously, oversight was inconsistent.
- Requires independent third-party inspections at key intervals (e.g., tenant turnover, complaints), with standardized records and tenant access; prior practices relied more on contractors.
- Shifts financial responsibility to providers for all remediation, relocation, and related costs, including housing allowance refunds—previously, families often paid out-of-pocket.
- Mandates enforceable contract clauses for environmental protections in new/renewed privatized housing agreements under 10 U.S.C. subchapter IV; bans non-disclosure agreements implicitly by promoting transparency.
- Establishes quarterly reporting, public data disclosure, and Chief Housing Officer role for ongoing accountability; highlights TRICARE gaps without direct amendments.
- No direct changes to TRICARE (10 U.S.C. §1072), but notes coverage limitations for mold-related care.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: DoD faces increased administrative burdens (e.g., standards development, inspections, reporting), potential costs for oversight/enforcement, and enhanced congressional scrutiny via briefings and certifications. Office of Inspector General gains role in reviewing submissions. May improve military readiness by reducing housing-related distractions.
- Citizens (Military Families): Approximately 700,000 service members and families in 78 privatized developments could benefit from safer housing, faster complaint resolutions, free relocations/remediation, and access to inspection histories, reducing health risks (e.g., respiratory issues) and financial strains. Promotes transparency but may cause short-term disruptions from inspections/relocations.
- Contractors: 14 private companies operating privatized housing must adopt stricter compliance, bear new costs (e.g., certifications, full remediation), and face audits/suspensions for failures; addresses past fraud (e.g., 2021 guilty plea, 2022 settlement).
- International Relations: No direct impacts; focuses on domestic U.S. military housing.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Military Families and Service Members: Primary beneficiaries, gaining protections against hazards and improved habitability.
- Department of Defense (DoD) and Military Departments: Responsible for implementation, inspections, standards, and reporting; includes housing offices, installation commanders, and the Chief Housing Officer.
- Privatized Housing Providers: Private companies (e.g., 14 firms) face new contractual obligations, financial liabilities, and compliance requirements.
- Congressional Committees: Armed Services Committees receive reports, briefings, and certifications for oversight.
- Support Entities: Third-party inspectors, certifiers (e.g., IICRC), tenant ombudsmen, and advocacy groups gain access to data; Health and Human Services involved in health evaluations.
- TRICARE Beneficiaries: Indirectly affected by noted coverage gaps for mold-related care.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens tenant rights in government-contracted housing by mandating transparency (e.g., report access) and prohibiting financial burdens on families, potentially reducing litigation over habitability. Enforceable contract clauses could lead to disputes with providers; aligns with federal property maintenance codes but creates DoD-specific standards.
- Constitutional: No direct challenges; supports due process by ensuring fair housing processes and equal protection for military families, without infringing on private contractor rights beyond contractual terms.
- Political: Emphasizes military welfare and contractor accountability amid past scandals, likely appealing to bipartisan support for service members. Promotes interagency collaboration (DoD-HHS) on health issues; public reporting fosters accountability but may highlight systemic DoD failures, influencing future defense budgets and oversight.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (18)
Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large], Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12], Rep. Bean, Aaron [R-FL-4], Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45], Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17], Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1], Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2], Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6], Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-01-21: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- 2026-01-21: Introduced in House
- 2026-01-21: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Military Occupancy Living Defense Act — issued 2026-01-21 — PDF (18 pages)