Bill requiring carbon monoxide detectors in public housing passes House

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill requiring carbon monoxide detectors in public housing, according to NBC News.

The bipartisan Safe Housing for Families Act provides $300 million over the next three years to install the detectors and comes after an NBC investigation found at least 13 public housing residents have died due to carbon monoxide poisoning since 2003.

“No family should live with the fear of being poisoned in their sleep,” Rep. Jesús Garcia (D-Ill.), the lead sponsor of the bill, tweeted Tuesday ahead of the vote.

“It is unconscionable that the very people our government seeks to provide shelter for are dying in their homes,” he added Tuesday on the House floor, according to NBC News.

“This is a bill that will save lives and help make us all safer,” added Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), according to NBC News.

{mosads}The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) does not currently require carbon monoxide detectors in federally subsidized housing. In April, in light of the NBC investigation, HUD Secretary Ben Carson announced the department was drafting a rule to require them.

“Given the unevenness of state and local law, we intend to make certain that CO detectors are required in all our housing programs, just as we require smoke detectors, no matter where our HUD-assisted families live,” he said in a statement.

A similar proposal is under consideration in the Senate, and in May Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) joined Garcia and Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.) in pushing the House Financial Services Committee and the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee to advance the two chambers’ respective bills.