{"id":50725,"date":"2023-10-12T16:48:06","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T16:48:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/10\/12\/army-lead-based-paint-audit-leads-to-scrutiny-from-congress\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:14:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:14:20","slug":"army-lead-based-paint-audit-leads-to-scrutiny-from-congress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2023\/10\/12\/army-lead-based-paint-audit-leads-to-scrutiny-from-congress\/","title":{"rendered":"Army lead-based paint audit leads to scrutiny from Congress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the wake of an internal audit sharply criticizing the Army\u2019s oversight of its housing inspection program, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers demanded answers from the service in a Thursday letter shared with Army Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army Audit Agency report<\/a> \u2014 which first gained widespread attention after a Sept. 21 Army Times story<\/a> \u2014 concluded the Army was failing to ensure that privatized on-base homes with lead-based paint or asbestos are \u201csafe for Army families.\u201d Audit officials attributed the oversight failure to a lack of proper manning and training to execute the Army\u2019s 2020 housing inspection program redesign, which also did not properly account for how the corporations running the properties would execute their purported end of the bargain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The members who signed the letter are: Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo.; Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla.; Rep. Robert Wittman, R-Va.; Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C.; Rep. James Moylan, R-Guam; and Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga. All six are members of the House Armed Services Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need to ensure Army housing officials are being held accountable and taking action when [lead-based paint] and [asbestos-containing materials] are identified,\u201d the lawmakers said. \u201cWhile identifying the problem is a good first step, the Army and Department of Defense need to ensure the problem is being solved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent interviews with Army Times, the service\u2019s senior leaders responsible for housing policy and administration admitted the struggle to implement the inspection program and discussed their steps to address its shortcomings.<\/p>\n\n\n\t