Rigell's Military Housing Legislation Included in FY13 National Defense Authorization Act

Press Release

Last night the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) approved the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included Congressman Scott Rigell's bi-partisan Military Housing Oversight and Accountability Act to help ensure service members and their families have adequate housing. The NDAA also included Rigell's language re-affirming the protection of habeas corpus rights for Americans and sent a clear message to the President: BRAC is not an option.

Regarding the military housing legislation, Rigell said: "We owe those who serve the peace of mind that comes with a safe and comfortable place to raise a family. This legislation helps us meet our deep obligation to support and care for these men and women on a level commensurate with their sacrifice."

Rigell, who serves as a member of HASC and represents more men and women in uniform (active duty and retired) than any other member of Congress, proposed the Military Housing Oversight and Accountability Act to provide the Service Secretaries the authority to effectively oversee and manage military housing privatization projects in the sustainment phase.

Also included in the FY13 NDAA is Rigell's bi-partisan Right to Habeas Corpus Act, which is a commonsense way to erase any doubts about the dual intent of last year's NDAA, that U.S. forces must be able to capture and detain terrorists who would do America harm; and that every American will have his day in court.

The legislation puts what Rigell calls a "10 foot fence with barbed wire" around Americans' Constitutional habeas corpus rights, stating that "nothing in the Authorization for Use of Military Force or the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 shall be construed to deny the availability of the writ of habeas corpus in a court ordained or established under Article III of the Constitution for any person who is detained in the United States."

The Committee also sent a clear signal that it would not move forward on a new round of domestic Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC), as the President called for in his most recent federal budget.

"Unless and until we ensure there is a legitimate national security need for each and every one of our overseas military installations, there should be absolutely no talk of a domestic BRAC," Rigell said. The NDAA is expected to go to the House floor for consideration next week.

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