HR 5208119th CongressIn Committee

To amend title 37, United States Code, to exclude the basic allowance for housing from the calculation of gross household income for purposes of the basic needs allowance for eligible members of the Armed Forces.

Introduced: Sep 8, 2025

Defense & National Security

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill would change how the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) is calculated for eligible members of the Armed Forces. Specifically, it would say that the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) paid to a service member must be excluded from the gross household income used to determine whether a member qualifies for the BNA and, if applicable, how much they receive. In practical terms, it codifies that housing allowances are not counted as income for the purpose of calculating BNA, rather than leaving a discretionary exclusion to the Secretary’s judgment. The effect could be to expand eligibility or increase the benefit level for some service members with lower household incomes, by lowering the income that is counted in the BNA computation.

Key Points

1The bill excludes BAH from the gross household income used to determine eligibility for the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) for eligible service members.
2It codifies the exclusion in statute (title 37, U.S. Code), removing discretionary/conditional language that could permit only partial or selective exclusion.
3The change is aimed at ensuring BAH is not treated as income for BNA calculations, potentially increasing eligibility or benefit amounts for some members with housing allowances.
4Implementation would require DoD and related pay/benefits systems to apply the exclusion consistently across all branches.
5The fiscal impact would depend on how many more members qualify or receive higher BNA payments; this would be assessed in a budgetary context (e.g., by CBO) if the bill advances.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Eligible active-duty service members and their households who receive BNA or could become eligible due to the calculation change.Secondary group/area affected- Department of Defense agencies responsible for military pay, allowances, and benefits administration (e.g., DoD, DFAS) and the operational workloads to adjust systems and training.Additional impacts- Potentially broader policy implications for military pay and living-safety net programs; possible modest increases in federal spending tied to BNA if more members qualify or receive greater benefits. Administrative burden should be minimal if the change is purely a statutory clarification reflecting how BAH should be treated in calculations.

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