Restore Military Families’ Voices Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4718
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-30T21:53:58Z
AI-Generated Summary
Restore Military Families' Voices Act (S. 4718)
Purpose
This legislation amends title 10 of the United States Code to prevent landlords of privatized military housing from using nondisclosure agreements to limit reporting of problems and to strengthen protections against retaliation for tenants who report issues.
Key Provisions
- Nondisclosure agreements: Landlords may not request that a tenant, former tenant, or prospective tenant sign an agreement that restricts disclosure of information about the housing unit or related services. This rule applies to all housing units, including family and unaccompanied housing.
- Definition of tenant: The term "tenant" now includes any party (other than the landlord) to a lease for a housing unit.
- Retaliation protections: Tenants are protected from reprisal when reporting housing issues to the landlord, chain of command, housing management office, Chief Housing Officer of the Department of Defense, an inspector general, or a Member of Congress.
- Inspector General process: Upon receiving a retaliation report, the Inspector General must notify the relevant military department Secretary and the Armed Services Committees of the Senate and House within 10 business days. The Inspector General must also notify the Secretary of any determination made and update the process for final actions.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Shifts language from prohibiting requirements to sign nondisclosure agreements to prohibiting landlords from requesting them, broadening the scope to include former tenants and service-related issues.
- Expands the list of allowable reporting channels beyond the chain of command and housing office.
- Adds new notification requirements and timelines for the Inspector General.
- Updates procedures for informing parties about determinations and final actions.
Potential Impacts
- Increases oversight of privatized military housing by involving higher-level Department of Defense officials and Congress.
- Affects government agencies through expanded Inspector General and military department responsibilities.
- Benefits military families by reducing barriers to reporting maintenance or safety concerns.
- No direct effects on international relations are outlined.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Military service members and their families living in privatized housing.
- Landlords and operators of privatized military housing.
- Department of Defense housing offices and the Chief Housing Officer.
- Inspectors General and military department Secretaries.
- Members of Congress.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Strengthens tenant reporting rights under federal law without altering constitutional frameworks.
- Enhances congressional oversight of Department of Defense housing programs.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA], Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- 2026-06-09: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Restore Military Families’ Voices Act — issued 2026-06-09 — PDF (5 pages)