[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 202 (Friday, December 21, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H10514-H10515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    AMENDING FEDERAL ASSETS SALE AND TRANSFER ACT OF 2016 TO ENSURE 
            ADEQUATE TIME FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS REFORM BOARD

  Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 7318) to amend the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act of 2016 
to ensure that the Public Buildings Reform Board has adequate time to 
carry out the responsibilities of the Board, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7318

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FEDERAL ASSETS SALE.

       (a) In General.--Section 4(c)(2) of the Federal Assets Sale 
     and Transfer Act of 2016 (40 U.S.C. 1303 note; Public Law 
     114-287) is amended--
       (1) by striking subparagraph (B);
       (2) by striking the paragraph designation and heading and 
     all that follows through ``In selecting'' in subparagraph (A) 
     in the matter preceding clause (i) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(2) Appointments.--In selecting''; and
       (3) by redesignating clauses (i) through (iv) as 
     subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively, and indenting 
     appropriately.
       (b) Termination.--Section 10 of the Federal Assets Sale and 
     Transfer Act of 2016 (40 U.S.C. 1303 note; Public Law 114-
     287) is amended by striking ``the date of enactment of this 
     Act'' and inserting ``the date on which the Board members are 
     appointed pursuant to section 4''.
       (c) Accounting System.--Section 12(e) of the Federal Assets 
     Sale and Transfer Act of 2016 (40 U.S.C. 1303 note; Public 
     Law 114-287) is amended in the first sentence by striking 
     ``the date of enactment of this Act'' and inserting ``the 
     date on which the Board members are appointed pursuant to 
     section 4''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Mast) and the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 7318.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 7318 amends the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer 
Act of 2016 to align the timeline for the sale of unneeded properties 
with the appointment of the Public Buildings Reform Board.
  This bill will result in more savings for the taxpayer by providing 
the Board with sufficient time to identify properties to be sold or 
redeveloped.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I also support H.R. 7318. This bill that is under 
consideration this morning addresses an outstanding issue that has 
emerged since Congress originally passed the Federal Assets Sale and 
Transfer Act, known as FASTA, back in 2016.

[[Page H10515]]

  FASTA authorized an independent Board to make recommendations on real 
estate actions designed to dispose of unneeded Federal real estate and 
redevelop underutilized property. This bill amends FASTA and aligns the 
dates of the termination of the Public Buildings Reform Board created 
by FASTA with the appointment of those Board members.
  I have worked closely with Chairman Barletta during his tenure as 
chairman of the Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency 
Management Subcommittee, and I appreciate his leadership in making the 
management of real estate more efficient.
  I also look forward to continuing his work to help the General 
Services Administration scrutinize the real estate decisions of the 
Federal Government in order to find savings, promote energy efficiency, 
and ensure transparency. Towards that end, I look forward to conducting 
vigorous oversight of the GSA in the next Congress to ensure that the 
American taxpayers are receiving full value for their dollars that are 
being invested in Federal real estate.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this legislation, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 7318.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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