Lodging Options Developed for Government Employees Act or the LODGE Act
This bill expands the current authority of the Department of the Interior to enter into agreements with housing entities to provide rental housing for employees.
The bill allows Interior to enter agreements with other federal agencies, state or local governments, tribal governments, or other public or private organizations for purposes of facilitating housing accommodation projects for rent to field employees and members of the public
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Read full official summaryShow less
on public lands, including National Park System units;
off public lands in the vicinity of system units; or
on a combination of such lands.
Interior may allow field employees and members of the public to occupy and lease project quarters.
Field employees and members of the public shall be prohibited from subleasing housing units or quarters developed or leased in accordance with a housing partnership agreement under this bill, including all forms of short-term rentals.
To the maximum extent practicable, priority for occupancy in project quarters shall be given to field employees.
Interior may collect, or authorize entities who have entered into partnership housing agreements under this bill to collect, rents directly from field employees and members of the public occupying housing units or quarters.
The bill modifies the lease-to-build program to allow Interior to lease federal land and interests in land to qualified persons for the construction of field employee quarters for any period not to exceed 60 years (under current law not to exceed 50 years).
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Explore the bill from different angles
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Neutral evidence review
Objective
Analyze H.R.7615 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact
Progressive lens
Examine H.R.7615 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope
Conservative lens
Examine H.R.7615 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power
Liberty lens
Examine H.R.7615 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.