For Immediate Release

February 17, 2000

DEFENSE DEPT. WILL ALTER HOUSING ALLOWANCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Military families in the Puget Sound area affected by a recent reduction in their housing allowance will be getting relief soon, according to U.S. Congressman Norm Dicks.

          The Pentagon’s top budget officer told a House of Representatives subcommittee today that the defense department will propose an adjustment to the military’s Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) after two subcommittee members, Reps. Dicks (D-Wash.) and John P. Murtha (D-PA), complained about inequities in the new system.

          Undersecretary of Defense William J. Lynn, III told the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee today that he would send a revision to Congress in the next few days to correct the problems experienced by military families in the Puget Sound area and at selected other military bases around the nation.

          In a Feb. 10th letter to Defense Secretary William Cohen, the congressmen urged the Pentagon to "ensure that all service members in like situations at the same location receive the same BAH." Rep. Dicks explained that he had heard in January from military families in the 6th District about inequities recently created by a new housing compensation system.

          "In some areas, Tacoma and Bremerton in particular, the new housing allowance formulas were not based upon an accurate assessment of market conditions, especially for the younger military families," Rep. Dicks said. "And even though the Department of Defense has appropriately decided to protect the housing allowance of personnel currently stationed in areas where the BAH has declined, other personnel who are transferring into these areas are adversely affected," he noted.

          "In some cases, it means $100 per month in additional out-of-pocket expenses for soldiers and sailors. I was concerned that much of the benefit of a substantial pay increase Congress just approved could have been erased by this new formula, and I am pleased that the Defense Department will be revising the program to correct this inadvertent impact of the new housing policy," Rep. Dicks said.

[Following is a copy of the Rep. Dicks / Rep. Murtha letter to Secretary Cohen]

Home >> Newsroom >> Press Releases