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.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill amends title 37's basic needs allowance calculation for eligible Armed Forces members. Current law allows the Secretary concerned to exclude certain portions of basic allowance for housing from gross household income; the bill strikes that discretionary construction and replaces it with mandatory exclusion of basic allowance for housing paid to the member. The effect is to make more lower-income service members eligible for the basic needs allowance, or increase their allowance, by preventing housing allowance from inflating the income calculation used for household food and basic-needs support.
Who Benefits and How
Junior enlisted service members benefit because basic allowance for housing no longer counts against basic needs allowance eligibility. Military families with low household income benefit if the exclusion increases or preserves food-security support. Armed Forces family support offices benefit from a clearer calculation rule for counseling service members. Service members in high-housing-cost areas benefit because BAH can be large even when disposable income is low.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Defense finance offices must update basic needs allowance calculations to exclude paid basic allowance for housing. Military personnel offices must explain the new eligibility calculation to service members. Federal taxpayers bear the cost if more service members qualify for the basic needs allowance. Budget analysts must account for benefit increases caused by excluding BAH from household income.
Key Provisions
- Excludes basic allowance for housing from gross household income for military basic needs allowance calculations.
- Requires the exclusion rather than leaving it to service secretary election.
- Expands basic needs allowance access for eligible lower-income service members.
- Modifies title 37 pay rules for Armed Forces household income calculations.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Requires basic allowance for housing paid to an eligible Armed Forces member to be excluded from gross household income when calculating the military basic needs allowance.
Key Policy Areas
Military Benefits, Pay, Food Security
Primary Purpose
Requires basic allowance for housing paid to an eligible Armed Forces member to be excluded from gross household income when calculating the military basic needs allowance.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Junior enlisted service members
- Military families with low household income
- Armed Forces family support offices
- Service members in high-housing-cost areas
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Defense finance offices
- Military personnel offices
- Federal taxpayers
- Budget analysts
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMr. Panetta (for himself, Mr. Moore of Utah, Mrs. Kiggans …
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Introduced in House
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
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