HR 5132119th CongressIn Committee

Healthy Servicemembers Act

Introduced: Sep 4, 2025

HealthcareVeterans Affairs

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Healthy Servicemembers Act would require the Secretary of Defense, with input from scientific agencies, to implement a system for screening and registering individuals who have health conditions resulting from living in unsafe housing units. Specifically, it adds a new Sec. 2895 to the U.S. Code, directing DoD to (1) screen eligible servicemembers and family members at military medical facilities for conditions it determines are connected to unsafe housing, and (2) establish and maintain a registry of those with covered conditions, including information the Secretary deems necessary to monitor health and the housing connection. The bill also requires a public information campaign about the registry and defines “unsafe housing unit” to include units not meeting HUD housing quality standards or units with dangerous mold-related air pollution. The aim is to identify, monitor, and inform affected servicemembers and families, potentially guiding housing remediation and health care responses.

Key Points

1Creates new law: Adds Sec. 2895 to Subchapter V, Chapter 169 of Title 10, United States Code, to govern screening and a health-condition registry linked to unsafe housing.
2Mandatory screening at DoD facilities: The Secretary of Defense must ensure that all eligible individuals are screened for covered conditions, in consultation with appropriate scientific agencies.
3Registry framework: DoD shall establish and maintain a registry of eligible individuals with a covered condition, including necessary health and housing data to monitor health and housing connections; procedures may allow inclusion in the registry.
4Definitions:
5- Covered condition = a medical condition determined by DoD to have resulted from residing in an unsafe housing unit.
6- Eligible individual = a servicemember or a family member who resided in an unsafe housing unit.
7- Unsafe housing unit = a unit not meeting HUD housing quality standards or with dangerous air pollution levels due to mold.
8Public information campaign: DoD must develop outreach to inform eligible individuals about the registry, how to register, and the benefits of registering.
9Clerical amendment: Adds the new section to the table of sections in the affected subchapter.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Servicemembers and their family members who have resided in unsafe housing units and have health conditions potentially linked to housing quality (e.g., mold exposure, substandard housing).Secondary group/area affected- DoD medical treatment facilities and the military health system responsible for screening; defense/public health researchers and agencies involved in the consultation and data analysis.- Housing policy and remediation within military housing programs, potentially informing base housing improvements and safety standards.Additional impacts- Data collection and privacy considerations related to health and housing information; potential compliance considerations with privacy laws (e.g., HIPAA-like protections) and interagency data sharing.- Potential costs to DoD for implementing screening, registry maintenance, and public information campaigns; potential leverage for housing remediation funding and prioritization.- Possible alignment or tension with existing veterans affairs programs, housing standards enforcement, and health care services as related to environmental exposures.- Encouragement of research on health outcomes associated with unsafe housing conditions among military families, guided by the registry data.The bill designates screening as an ongoing function but leaves specifics of enrollment and data handling to Secretary’s procedures, with possible agency consultation.The sponsor is identified in the bill text as Rep. Bell with Rep. Ansari as a co-sponsor; referral to the House Committee on Armed Services. The status remains “Introduced.”

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