H.R. 3772: Defense Shipyard Workforce Housing Act of 2025

The Defense Shipyard Workforce Housing Act of 2025 is a proposed bill that aims to evaluate the needs for housing options for civilian workers at certain naval shipyards. Here's a breakdown of what the bill includes:

Purpose of the Bill

The main goal of the bill is to direct the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with other relevant officials, to conduct a comprehensive study on the feasibility, costs, and potential benefits of providing housing for civilian workers at covered naval shipyards. This is aimed at addressing workforce needs at these facilities.

Key Aspects of the Study

The study mandated by the bill will include the following assessments:

• Cost Estimates: Evaluating the estimated costs associated with constructing, maintaining, or leasing apartment-style housing units for shipyard workers.
• Economic Benefits: Assessing potential benefits that could come from improved recruitment and retention rates.
• Implementation Feasibility: Determining how feasible it would be to set up housing solutions at various public shipyard locations.
• Operational Impacts: Analyzing the effects on worker availability, morale, and commuting challenges that housing could address.
• Housing Fee Solutions: Exploring options for deducting fair-market rent or below-market fees from employee paychecks, along with the implications of such arrangements.
• Comparison with Other Models: Comparing findings with similar workforce housing initiatives used by the Department of Defense or other Federal agencies.
• Case Studies: Including detailed case studies of at least two specified naval shipyards to gauge the effectiveness of workforce housing solutions.

Report to Congress

After completing the study, the Secretary will be required to submit a report to Congress within 18 months. This report will include findings and recommendations based on the analysis conducted.

Covered Naval Shipyards

The bill specifies four naval shipyards that will be included in the study:

• Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia
• Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Hawaii
• Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine
• Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Washington

Overall Impact

The bill seeks to address housing challenges for the civilian workforce working at these naval facilities, potentially improving job satisfaction and retention by providing suitable living conditions. The outcomes of the study may inform future policies or initiatives regarding workforce housing in the defense sector.

Relevant Companies

None found