IV 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 163 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

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.