WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Military families filled a Senate hearing room Tuesday, joining livid lawmakers upset by living conditions on military bases across the country.
Families said they’ve faced mold, rats, roaches and basic appliance issues.
“I served in the Navy and you expect that, when you’re in the military, your housing is going to be something you want to live in,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said.
Scott questioned the panel of military officials from the Army, Navy and Air Force on the fastest way to correct the problem.
Washington Correspondent Kellie Meyer asked Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy after the hearing if anyone will be held accountable.
“We’re putting mechanisms in place so that we can hold folks accountable,” he said.
Some of the senators pointed to delayed government funding as a potential cause to the military’s housing problems.
Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) said the passage of the looming National Defense Authorization Act is a necessary first step.
“That is going to provide a mechanism for each branch to really do the kind of job that they need to do to get the homeowners and get their military people into good shape,” Jones said.
Both Democrats and Republicans on the committee want a vote on the NDAA – ASAP. But they couldn’t say when it will happen.
As for an immediate fix for military families and their homes, some inside the hearing room will be spending the holidays in hotels holding out hope for a solution.
