[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 30 (Wednesday, March 2, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H1481-H1482]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      COMMUNICATION FROM CHAIR OF COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND 
                            INFRASTRUCTURE.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following 
communication from the Chair of the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure; which was read and, without objection, referred to the 
Committee on Appropriations:

         House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and 
           Infrastructure,
                                    Washington, DC, March 2, 2011.
     Hon. John Boehner,
     Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, The Capitol, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Speaker: On February 16, 2011, pursuant to the 
     provisions of 40 U.S.C. 3307, the Committee on Transportation 
     and Infrastructure met in open session to consider a 
     resolution related to the General Services Administration's 
     (GSA) FY2011 Capital Investment and Leasing Program. The 
     resolution authorizes the consolidation of the operations of 
     the National Gallery of Art and the Federal Trade Commission 
     that will result in savings to the federal government. The 
     Committee adopted the resolution by voice vote with a quorum 
     present.
       Enclosed is a copy of the resolution adopted by the 
     Committee on February 16, 2011.
           Sincerely,
                                                     John L. Mica,
                                                         Chairman.
       Enclosure.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and 
           Infrastructure,
                                                   Washington, DC.

                          Committee Resolution


     FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION/NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART CONSOLIDATION

       Whereas, the General Services Administration proposed in 
     Lease Prospectus PDC-14-WA11 to the U.S. House Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure a request to lease up to 
     427,000 square feet for the Federal Trade Commission in 
     addition to the 306,000 square feet of space in the Apex 
     building currently housing part of the Federal Trade 
     Commission operations;
       Whereas, a proposed alternate plan to consolidate space 
     currently leased or occupied by the Federal Trade Commission 
     and National Gallery of Art can save taxpayers nearly 1/3 
     billion dollars and meet both agencies' current and future 
     space requirements;
       Whereas, the National Gallery of Art currently leases 
     60,000 square feet of space and will require an additional 
     150,000 square feet of space for future use;
       Whereas, the Federal Trade Commission currently uses only 
     160,000 square feet of the 306,000 gross square foot building 
     located at 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, to house 
     approximately 450 federal employees, resulting in an 
     inefficient use of the building, creating waste and costing 
     the taxpayer;
       Whereas, only 3% of the space in the building located at 
     600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW is designated as actual hearing 
     space for Federal Trade Commission operations;
       Whereas, the Federal Trade Commission also leases two 
     additional locations in the District of Columbia totaling 
     220,000 square feet and 56,000 square feet, respectively;
       Whereas, on May 13, 2010, the General Services 
     Administration submitted a prospectus number PDC-14-WA11 to 
     the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for an 
     additional 150,000 square feet of leased space for the 
     Federal Trade Commission;
       Whereas, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in laying the 
     cornerstone for the building at 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 
     did so to consolidate government operations out of scattered 
     space into consolidated space ``to save the taxpayers' 
     money'';
       Whereas, President Barack Obama's Presidential Memorandum 
     of June 10, 2010, in accordance with Executive Order 13327 
     issued by President George W. Bush, requires federal agencies 
     to maximize the utilization and efficiency of space;
       Whereas, the management of federal real property was placed 
     on the Government Accountability Office's ``High Risk'' list 
     in 2003 where it remains today;
       Whereas, the Government Accountability Office concluded, 
     regarding the use of aging buildings that ``[m]any of these 
     assets and organizational structures are no longer needed; 
     others are not effectively aligned with, or responsive to, 
     agencies' changing missions. At the same time, technological 
     advances have changed workplace needs, and many of the older 
     buildings are not configured to accommodate new 
     technologies'';
       Whereas, it is in the national interest to maximize use of 
     federal space and save taxpayer dollars through the more 
     efficient use of space consistent with federal policies;

[[Page H1482]]

       Whereas, the National Gallery of Art was created in 1937 
     for the people of the United States by Congress as an 
     independent ``bureau'' of the Smithsonian Institution as 
     codified in 20 United States Code Sec. 72;
       Whereas, the National Gallery of Art is a federal 
     government-owned organization;
       Whereas, Congress provides funds to maintain the National 
     Gallery of Art to ensure it remains open to the general 
     public free of charge as codified in 20 United States Code 
     Sec. 74;
       Whereas, the National Gallery of Art receives 80% of its 
     funding through Federal appropriations;
       Whereas, 75% of National Gallery of Art employees are 
     federal employees;
       Whereas, the 30-year net present value of the savings to 
     the taxpayer realized from consolidating the National Gallery 
     of Art's leased space into government owned space is $145 
     million;
       Whereas, the building located at 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
     NW would require more than $137 million in taxpayer funded 
     renovations for continued use by the Federal Trade Commission 
     as office space;
       Whereas, the National Gallery of Art has authority to and 
     shall raise and use private funds to renovate the building at 
     600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW for the benefit of the American 
     people;
       Whereas, renovating the building at 600 Pennsylvania 
     Avenue, NW will preserve a historic building and maximize its 
     use by the American people;
       Whereas, the space in the building located at 600 
     Pennsylvania Avenue, NW would be optimally located and 
     adjacent to the National Gallery of Art West and East wings 
     providing additional space consistent with the mission of the 
     National Gallery of Art as codified in law;
       Whereas, such use of the 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 
     building would complete the cultural triangle in the District 
     of Columbia;
       Whereas, relocating the Federal Trade Commission into lower 
     maintenance and more energy efficient space will further save 
     taxpayer dollars;
       Whereas, there are significant savings in consolidations of 
     operations--employee shuttle, child care, communications and 
     operational efficiencies.
       Therefore, be it resolved by the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives, that, pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. 
     Sec. 3307(a), the Administrator of General Services shall 
     transfer administrative jurisdiction and custody and control 
     of the building located at 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 
     Washington, D.C. to the National Gallery of Art and relocate 
     the Federal Trade Commission, currently located at 600 
     Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. to (1) up to 
     200,000 usable square feet of space located in Federal Office 
     Building Number 8, Southwest, District of Columbia; (2) 1800 
     F Street, NW, District of Columbia; or (3) such other 
     building in the District of Columbia owned by the Government 
     that the Administrator of General Services considers 
     appropriate.
       It is further resolved, that the Administrator of General 
     Services is authorized to consolidate Federal Trade 
     Commission operations in the District of Columbia into 
     efficient, modern government-owned space.
       Provided, that no appropriated funds shall be used for the 
     initial renovation, remodeling, or reconstruction of the 
     building at 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.
       Provided further, that terms and conditions, including 
     rental rate, applied to the Federal Trade Commission by the 
     Administrator of General Services, for use of the building 
     located at 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 
     shall apply to replacement space provided by the 
     Administrator of General Services pursuant to this resolution 
     for no more than ten (10) years after the relocation of the 
     Federal Trade Commission.
       Provided further, that the General Services Administration 
     shall not delegate to any other agency the authority granted 
     by this resolution.
       Adopted: February 16, 2011.
                                               John L. Mica, M.C.,
                                                         Chairman.

  There was no objection.

                          ____________________