[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4863 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4863

 To establish a competitive bidding process for the relocation of the 
      headquarters of Executive agencies, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 19, 2018

  Mr. Messer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the 
  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a competitive bidding process for the relocation of the 
      headquarters of Executive agencies, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Strategic Withdrawal of Agencies for 
Meaningful Placement Act of 2018'' or ``SWAMP Act''.

SEC. 2. RELOCATION OF HEADQUARTERS OF EXECUTIVE AGENCIES.

    (a) Repeal of Headquarters Location Requirement.--Section 72 of 
title 4, United States Code, is repealed.
    (b) Prohibition on Location of Headquarters in Washington 
Metropolitan Area.--With respect to an Executive agency whose 
headquarters is located in the Washington metropolitan area as of the 
date of the enactment of this Act, no new construction or major 
renovations may be undertaken, or lease agreements entered into or 
renewed, for such headquarters after such date of enactment, except as 
otherwise expressly provided by law.
    (c) Competitive Bidding Process for Relocation of Headquarters.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of General 
        Services shall establish a process, in accordance with the 
        requirements described in paragraph (2), through which--
                    (A) the head of an Executive agency may submit a 
                request for the Administrator to issue a solicitation 
                for the relocation of the headquarters of such agency; 
                or
                    (B) if determined necessary, the Administrator may 
                issue a solicitation for the relocation of the 
                headquarters of an Executive agency.
            (2) Requirements.--With respect to any solicitation issued 
        for the relocation of the headquarters of an Executive agency 
        pursuant to paragraph (1), the Administrator of General 
        Services shall--
                    (A) allow any State and any political subdivision 
                of a State to submit a bid for the relocation of such 
                headquarters;
                    (B) provide the public with notice and an 
                opportunity to comment on such solicitation; and
                    (C) in consultation with the head of such agency, 
                select a State, or a political subdivision of a State, 
                for the relocation of such headquarters using 
                competitive bidding procedures that consider the 
                following:
                            (i) The extent to which the relocation of 
                        such headquarters would impact the economy and 
                        workforce development of a State or political 
                        subdivision of a State.
                            (ii) Whether a State, or a political 
                        subdivision of a State, has expertise in 
                        carrying out activities substantially similar 
                        to the mission and goals of such agency.
                            (iii) The extent to which the relocation of 
                        such headquarters to a State, or a political 
                        subdivision of a State, would implicate 
                        national security interests.
    (d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act may be construed to 
prohibit a political subdivision of the State of Maryland or the 
Commonwealth of Virginia that is located outside the Washington 
metropolitan area from submitting a bid under subsection (c)(2)(A).
    (e) Offset allowed.--The Administrator of General Services may use 
the proceeds from the sale of any Federal building or land to offset 
the cost of relocating the headquarters of an Executive agency.
    (f) No Additional Funds Authorized.--No additional funds are 
authorized to carry out the requirements of this Act. Such requirements 
shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Executive agency.--The term ``Executive agency'' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 105 of title 5, United 
        States Code, except that the term does not include the 
        Executive Office of the President.
            (2) Headquarters.--The term ``headquarters'' means the 
        place or building serving as the managerial and administrative 
        center of an Executive agency, except that the term does not 
        include an office that the head of any such agency may maintain 
        separately from such place or building in the Washington 
        metropolitan area.
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States.
            (4) Washington metropolitan area.--The term ``Washington 
        metropolitan area'' means the geographic area located within 
        the boundaries of the following:
                    (A) The District of Columbia.
                    (B) Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in the 
                State of Maryland.
                    (C) Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William 
                Counties and the City of Alexandria in the Commonwealth 
                of Virginia.
                                 <all>