[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 96 (Monday, July 8, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1019-E1020]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  THE INTRODUCTION OF A BILL TO REQUIRE NOTICE OF EXCESS REAL PROPERTY

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, July 8, 2013

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing a bill to make the 
General Services Administration (GSA) a more transparent federal 
agency.
  This bill would require GSA to provide public notice of excess 
properties as soon as they are identified by federal agencies as such. 
Although excess properties will continue to be offered to other federal 
agencies before going through the normal property disposal process, 
this early notice to all, including federal agencies, the larger 
community and Congress, will increase transparency in how the federal 
government manages its property. The Transportation and Infrastructure 
Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency 
Management has had difficulty ensuring that GSA acts as soon as 
possible to dispose of properties it has determined to be excess. GSA's 
practice of delaying notice of unused properties to the public while it 
informs federal agencies only furthers existing delay by GSA in moving 
either to use or dispose of property for the benefit of taxpayers. 
Importantly, the early public notice required by this bill also will 
provide the opportunity for local communities to plan for possible 
disposal of the property.
  Recent hearings held by two different subcommittees documented how 
delayed notice had resulted in inaction by GSA, which did not move on 
the problem until the hearings were called. With silence from GSA about 
a long-vacant but large and valuable property, residents in the 
burgeoning M Street Southeast area of the District of Columbia went to 
the trouble of creating a professional proposal for redeveloping the 
property, as revealed in the hearing.
  Both the Administration and the House, where two property disposal 
bills are pending, have weighed in on GSA's poor asset management and 
missed market opportunities, which continue to cost taxpayers 
significant sums of money. There are significant costs associated with 
GSA's vacant or underperforming assets, including for operation, 
maintenance and security. For this reason, in 2003, the Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) placed real property management on its list 
of ``high risk'' government activities, where it remains today. GAO 
conducts biennial reviews of the federal government to highlight 
specific areas needing added attention and oversight. Programs are 
identified as ``high risk'' due to their greater vulnerabilities to 
fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement or due to the need for broad-
based transformation to address major challenges.
  Still, the periodic GAO reviews, executive orders and memoranda 
issued during this and

[[Page E1020]]

the prior administration, and acts of Congress have not brought 
significantly improved management of federal real property. My bill 
would ensure that Congress, local communities and federal agencies have 
the earliest notice that federal properties may become available, and 
would be a further tool to foster earlier and more efficient property 
disposal.

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