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WASHINGTON, D.C. –  On Wednesday, U.S. Congressman and Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness Mike Waltz (FL-06) pressed Defense Department officials on taking accountability for the aging and dilapidated barracks and housing on military bases across the country.

Watch the full exchange here.

“We have, by my count, five hundred installations, five hundred thousand buildings, and nine thousand unaccompanied housing. The GAO just visited ten, I do not know what they would have seen if they would have gone to all of them,” said Waltz. “I do not think anybody on this committee or any of you are expecting our service members to live in the Taj Mahal. I do not think that is their expectation. But this is disgusting, it’s unsatisfactory.”

“I do not know of any of you, would any of you want your children in these conditions with mold, with feces, with broken sewage lines?” asked Waltz. “I would not. Do you think anyone who is in these facilities – again, this is just a small, small sample of what we are managing – are telling their high school buddy or their cousin or whomever that this is a service you got to join.

Waltz continued, “I can tell you as a veteran, and I think I can speak for most members here, you are overseas, you are deployed, you come back home. You want a washing machine and a dryer that works. You want a decent facility to go back to and I cannot even imagine what this is doing to unit morale.

“Who was fired?” Waltz asked. “Who was held accountable? Several of you put accountability as a key part of your testimony. Who was fired? What base commander? What facility manager, what overseer from an oversight standpoint? Was anyone relieved or fired because of this?

“Chairman Waltz, I am not aware of anyone who was,” said Assistant Secretary of Defense for Installations, Energy and Environment Brendan Owens.

Waltz asked, “Do you find that acceptable? I mean, a hallmark of military leadership, of any leadership, is accountability and consequences when you fall short. Much less having our soldiers, sailors, and service members living in this.”

“I totally agree with that,” replied Owens.

“No one has actually been relieved or fired,” Waltz reiterated. “I would submit to you that this may be a critical part of the problem because that sends a signal that this is unacceptable.”

Waltz went on to ask the witnesses if the FSRM budget lines will be fully funded to one hundred percent of the requirement in the proposal for next year’s defense bill. They each affirmed the budget will be fully funded.

Waltz highlighted GAO’s report and the issue of lack of visibility on how FSRM funds are allocated when they get down to the installation. Waltz asked Owens, “Across the department, how are we going to deal with that? Do you agree that it is a concern and how are we going to address the issue?”

“I absolutely do agree that it is a concern,” said Owens.

Finally, Waltz highlighted the common sense of using public-private partnerships to enhance housing standards.