[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 163 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 163

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the need for 
   appropriate accountability and congressional oversight of public 
                   buildings and facilities projects.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 12, 2009

 Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida (for himself, Mr. Mica, Ms. Fallin, 
    Mrs. Capito, Mr. Cao, and Mr. Guthrie) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the need for 
   appropriate accountability and congressional oversight of public 
                   buildings and facilities projects.

Whereas section 3307 of title 40, United States Code (formerly section 7 of 
        Public Buildings Act of 1959), provides for appropriate accountability 
        and congressional oversight of public buildings and facilities projects;
Whereas exceptions to the oversight provisions of that section increase the 
        potential for wasteful spending on unnecessary and costly capital 
        projects and increase the possibility that taxpayers will pay for 
        projects that are against the public interest and excessive;
Whereas the potential for nearly $8 billion in Federal funds to be spent on 
        public buildings and facilities projects without the standard oversight 
        mechanisms could lead to waste and unchecked decisionmaking by 
        unaccountable bureaucrats;
Whereas Federal spending on unnecessary capital projects minimizes the amount of 
        resources available for other projects that are necessary and 
        appropriate to meet Federal space needs;
Whereas the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has placed the management of 
        Federal real property on its high risk list, citing among other issues 
        an increased reliance by the Federal Government on costly leasing;
Whereas GAO recommends the following 3 principles in guiding Federal 
        infrastructure investments: (1) create well-defined goals based on 
        identified areas of interest, (2) incorporate performance and 
        accountability into funding decisions, and (3) employ the best tools and 
        approaches to emphasize return on investment; and
Whereas maintaining responsible, effective, and efficient oversight procedures 
        is critical in the area of capital investments programs: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the Administrator of General Services should not 
        proceed with any public building or facility project for which 
        a prospectus has been submitted to Congress pursuant to section 
        3307 of title 40, United States Code, before the date of 
        adoption of this resolution unless a resolution approving the 
        project has been adopted pursuant to that section and the cost 
        of the project does not exceed the estimated maximum cost of 
        the project approved under that section by more than 10 
        percent; and
            (2) in the case of a public building or facility project 
        that may not be subject to the requirements of section 3307 of 
        title 40, United States Code, pursuant to an Act of Congress, 
        but otherwise meets the funding thresholds and criteria 
        contained in that section, the Administrator of General 
        Services should submit to the Committee on Transportation and 
        Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a detailed plan 
        of the project, including an estimate of the number of jobs the 
        project will create, prior to taking actions in furtherance of 
        the project.
                                 <all>