[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 19, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H1209-H1211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FEDERAL OVERSIGHT OF CONSTRUCTION USE AND SAFETY ACT
Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 6260) to provide for certain reviews of the use
and safety of Federal buildings, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6260
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Oversight of
Construction Use and Safety Act'' or the ``FOCUS Act''.
SEC. 2. ELIMINATING PROJECT ESCALATIONS.
Section 3307(c) of title 40, United States Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following: ``The Administrator shall
notify, in writing, the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate of
any increase of more than 5 percent of an estimated maximum
cost or of any increase or decrease in the scope or size of a
project of 5 or more percent. Such notification shall include
an explanation regarding any such increase or decrease. The
scope or size of a project shall not increase or decrease by
more than 10 percent unless an amended prospectus is
submitted and approved pursuant to this section.''
SEC. 3. PUBLIC SAFETY AT FEDERAL BUILDINGS.
(a) Data Collection.--The Administrator of General Services
shall collect data from tenant Federal agencies reports of
any safety incidents as a result of criminal or other
activity impacting public safety in and around public
buildings, as defined in section 3301 of title 40, United
States Code.
(b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and
Public Works of the Senate a report that--
(1) contains the data collected under subsection (a); and
(2) describes any actions taken or planned, if necessary,
to improve building management and operations to address such
incidents.
SEC. 4. REDUCING WASTE IN NEW PROJECTS.
Section 3307(b) of title 40, United States Code, is
amended--
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(1) in paragraph (7) by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (8) by striking the period at the end and
inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(9) information on any space occupied by the relevant
agency in the geographical area of the proposed facility,
including uses, utilization rates, any proposed
consolidations, and, if not proposed to be consolidated, a
justification for such determination;
``(10) a statement by the Administrator of whether the
public building needs of the Government for the proposed
space to be leased were formerly met by a federally owned
building, including any building identified for disposal or
sale; and
``(11) details on actual utilization rates, including
number of personnel assigned to the facility, number of
personnel expected to work in-person at the facility and
whether all personnel identified reflect filled and
authorized positions.''.
SEC. 5. REVIEW OF SPECIAL USE SPACE.
(a) Review.--The Comptroller General of the United States
shall review the use of special use spaces in Federal
buildings, including conference centers, fitness centers, and
similar spaces to determine levels of utilization,
opportunities for sharing, collocating, and other
efficiencies.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and
Public Works of the Senate a report containing the review
under subsection (a).
SEC. 6. INTERAGENCY SPACE COORDINATION.
(a) In General.--Chapter 33 of title 40, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 3319. Interagency space coordination
``Unless a Federal agency specifically restricts the
sharing of the information described in this section for
national security purposes, the Administrator of General
Services shall share with tenant Federal agencies pursuing
new or replacement office space information on any other
Federal agencies located in the same geographical area for
purposes of determining opportunities for consolidations,
collocations, or other space sharing to reduce the costs of
space and maximize space utilization.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 33 of
title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``3319. Interagency space coordination.''.
SEC. 7. NOTIFICATION OF MILESTONES.
Section 3307 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(i) Notification Required.--For each project approved
under this section, the Administrator shall notify, in
writing, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Environment and Public Works of the Senate of any project
milestones that are accomplished, including--
``(1) the solicitation and award of design and construction
services;
``(2) the completion of any actions required for such
project pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);
``(3) any ceremonies for the beginning or completion of
such project;
``(4) a naming ceremony for such project; and
``(5) the completion of such project.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
South Dakota (Mr. Johnson) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Menendez) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Dakota.
General Leave
Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 6260, as
amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from South Dakota?
There was no objection.
Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, first, I thank the bill's sponsor, the gentlewoman from
Oregon (Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer), for her leadership on H.R. 6260, the
FOCUS Act.
The gentlewoman is a remarkable Member of Congress. She is
hardworking, diligent, and smart as a whip. H.R. 6260 is just one of
the many examples of her leadership that she has blessed the 118th
with.
Specifically, the FOCUS Act increases transparency and oversight. It
does that by implementing a number of measures that increase the
information that the General Services Administration provides to
Congress that is going to give us a better opportunity to strengthen
oversight of Federal space and public building projects.
More specifically, this bill would ensure Congress is notified if the
costs for authorized GSA projects change by more than 5 percent.
We have all seen, I suspect, outside of government how often cost
overruns have been happening in the broader economy and what kind of
costs and confusion they can impose. This bill would help us get better
data on what is going on with government projects, and it would require
GSA to include in its new project proposals more details on space
utilization rates and ensures GSA's tenant agencies have information on
other agencies nearby to support consolidation of space.
I think this has taken on renewed importance as we have seen
additional studies about the low occupancy rates that we continue to
see within a number of GSA-managed buildings.
This bill would also require GSA to collect data and report on
criminal activity that may be impacting public safety in and around
public buildings.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6260, as amended. H.R. 6260,
the Federal Oversight of Construction Use and Safety Act, introduced by
Representative Chavez-DeRemer, makes a good faith effort at reducing
the costs of the General Service Administration's capital projects.
The bill requires GSA to notify the House Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on the Environment and
Public Works--GSA's congressional authorizers--when GSA construction or
renovation project costs increase or decrease by 5 percent. It also
requires GSA to submit an amended prospectus to congressional
authorizers when project costs increase or decrease by more than 10
percent.
The FOCUS Act requires GSA to collect data from tenants about safety
incidents in and around public buildings and submit that data to
congressional authorizers.
It requires GSA to include utilization and occupancy data and
prospectuses submitted to congressional authorizers. Additionally, the
bill requires GSA to share location information between Federal
agencies in the same geographical area to facilitate opportunities for
space sharing and consolidations.
{time} 1700
This bill also requires GSA to notify congressional authorizers when
project milestones are accomplished, such as the solicitation and award
of design services, the completion of any actions required under the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and when the project is
completed.
Finally, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to
require the use of special spaces, such as fitness centers and
conference centers, in Federal buildings.
With strong provisions like these, this bill will likely help reduce
the costs of GSA capital projects.
I support H.R. 6260, as amended, and I urge my colleagues to do the
same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Oregon (Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer).
Mrs. CHAVEZ-DeREMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the
FOCUS Act, a bill that makes much-needed reforms to the Federal
Government's real estate practices.
With our national debt at $34 trillion and rising, it is our duty as
lawmakers to root out wasteful spending and restore fiscal
responsibility.
Recently, the Government Accountability Office reviewed 24 Federal
agencies to analyze office space usage. The study found that of the 24
offices reviewed, 17 of the agencies used just 25 percent or less of
the building's capacity.
It is clear that office space utilization has decreased dramatically
in both the public and private sectors. Many companies have adjusted by
downsizing or selling office space to save money.
As a small business owner myself, consolidating office space to
reduce costs would be a straightforward, sensible decision to make.
Unfortunately, we often see the bureaucracy treat Americans' tax
dollars like monopoly money. We throw it around. The FOCUS Act would
change
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that and, by promoting consolidation, ensure taxpayer money isn't being
wasted on unused real estate.
Transparency leads to accountability, and that is why this bill also
requires Congress to be notified of significant increases in rent
payments.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense
proposal to rein in unnecessary spending and improve transparency in
Federal real estate practices.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6260, the Federal Oversight of
Construction Use and Safety Act, introduced by my colleague,
Representative Chavez-DeRemer, makes a good faith effort at reducing
the costs of GSA's capital projects.
I support this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance
of my time.
So often our attention is pulled to the massive issues, the sexy
fights that sometimes divide this Chamber. The bill before us, Mr.
Speaker, of course, is not that. It is commonsense legislation. It is
the kind of meat and potatoes, blocking and tackling legislation that
so many Americans, I think, are hungry for. It is a data-driven
proposal.
We heard from Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer that 17 of 24 buildings in the
study that she cited were dramatically underutilized. This is an
opportunity for good managers within the GSA and good managers within
Congress to use the data that her bill would provide to make better
decisions. What a delightful outcome that would be.
As we have discussed, this bill would increase transparency,
strengthen accountability, assist the committee in its oversight of
Federal space utilization, and help us increase safety at our public
buildings.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Johnson) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6260, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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