((a)) ** .—** The Secretary concerned may use the authority under this subchapter to enter into contracts with appropriate private sector entities for the acquisition or construction of military unaccompanied housing in the United States, including any territory or possession of the United States.

((b)) ** .—** The Secretary concerned may assign members of the armed forces without dependents to housing units acquired or constructed pursuant to this section, and such housing units shall be considered as quarters of the United States or a housing facility under the jurisdiction of the Secretary for purposes of .

((c)) ** .—**

((1)) The Secretary of Defense may prescribe and, under section 403() of title 37, pay for members of the armed forces without dependents in privatized housing units acquired or constructed pursuant to this section higher rates of partial basic allowance for housing than the rates authorized under paragraph (2) of such section.

((2)) The partial basic allowance for housing paid for a member at a higher rate under this subsection may be paid directly to the private sector source of the housing to whom the member is obligated to pay rent or other charge for residing in such housing if the private sector source credits the amount so paid against the amount owed by the member for the rent or other charge.

((d)) ** .—**

((1)) The Secretary concerned shall use the Department of Defense Military Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund to carry out activities pursuant to this section.

((2)) Subject to 30 days prior notification to the appropriate committees of Congress in an electronic medium pursuant to , such additional amounts as the Secretary of Defense considers necessary may be transferred to the Department of Defense Military Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund from amounts appropriated for construction of military unaccompanied housing in military construction accounts. The amounts so transferred shall be merged with and be available for the same purposes and for the same period of time as amounts appropriated directly to the Fund.

((e)) ** .—** The authority of the Secretary concerned to enter into a contract under this section shall expire .