[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 14, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S5017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       PUBLIC BUILDING REFORM ACT

 Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today in support of S. 1005 
as reported by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. I 
believe that this bill incorporates many valuable concepts which would 
save the Federal Government money by imposing controls on the design 
and costs of Federal buildings, and in particular courthouses.
  When I became chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, I presented some broad principles which I felt the 
committee should use to prioritize General Services Administration 
projects. At that time, the Administrative Office of the Courts had 
never sent to our committee a priority ranking of courthouse projects 
making authorization on the basis of need very difficult.
  Today, at my request, I am pleased to report that the Judicial 
Conference has approved a 5-year plan, which is a step in the right 
direction. However, additional reforms in the area of public buildings 
are still needed.
  Under S. 1005, the General Services Administration and the 
Administrative Office of the Courts will be required to submit 
triennial plans in order of priority. Courthouse prospectuses will be 
required to include the current number of Federal judges and courtrooms 
as of the date of submissions, and the projected number of Federal 
judges and courtrooms expected to be accommodated by the proposed 
project.
  These projected figures will then be justified by further information 
on the authorized positions of Federal judges and the number of judges 
expected to take senior status, as well as the level of security risk 
at the current courthouse as determined by the Administrative Office of 
the Courts.
  If a courthouse is not part of the triennial plan for a given fiscal 
year, it is not my expectation that the committee will approve that 
particular project.
  Mr. President, S. 1005 also addresses ongoing concerns over the U.S. 
Courts Design Guide. Many of you have heard about Foley Square and the 
Boston Courthouse, as well as many other costly courthouse construction 
projects which have been built in the last several years. S. 1005 will 
require the General Services Administration to rewrite the design guide 
in consultation with the courts and the Fine Arts Commission. It is my 
expectation that this will enable the General Services to ultimately 
control courthouse construction costs with the input of the courts.
  S. 1005, not only addresses concerns raised over courthouse 
construction, but it also will require the General Services 
Administration to file a biennial public buildings plan, to help the 
committee to evaluate and set priorities for all projects that require 
construction, alteration, or leased space--whether it is a courthouse, 
Federal building, border station et cetera.
  In this time of Government downsizing, our Federal agencies will have 
to justify their priority ranking or request for additional space needs 
for ultimate approval by both the House and the Senate.
  The biennial plan will include a 5-year strategic capital asset 
management plan. Under the plan, the GSA would be able to take 
advantage of market changes that affect building construction and 
availability, thereby potentially saving our American taxpayer dollars.
  In light of the austere budget environment we are currently operating 
under, we need reforms in the area of public buildings. As the chairman 
of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I strongly 
support S. 1005, and urge its swift passage.

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