[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 170 (Monday, October 28, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8488-H8489]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRANSPARENCY IN FEDERAL BUILDINGS PROJECTS ACT OF 2019
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2502) to amend title 40, United States Code, to require
certain prospectuses for public buildings to be made publicly
available, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2502
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 ``Transparency in Federal
Buildings Projects Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF BUILDING PROJECT INFORMATION.
(a) In General.--Chapter 33 of title 40, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``SEC. 3318. AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL BUILDING PROJECT
INFORMATION.
``(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this section, and, at a minimum, on a
quarterly basis thereafter, the Administrator shall make
publicly available on a subpage of the website of the General
Services Administration all prospectuses submitted pursuant
to sections 3307 and 3316, and associated information subject
to the following requirements:
``(1) The Administrator shall maintain such information in
an easily accessible and readable, organized, downloadable,
and searchable format.
``(2) The Administrator shall ensure the information is
current and prospectuses and associated information updated
on a regular basis.
``(3) The information required under this section shall be
inclusive for a period of not less than 10 years.
``(4) The information shall include--
``(A) the last date on which the relevant webpage was
updated;
``(B) approval dates of respective authorizing resolutions
by each committee of jurisdiction, if applicable;
``(C) copies of respective committee of jurisdiction
resolutions authorizing such prospectuses, as appropriate;
``(D) cross-references to any resubmitted or amended
prospectuses and associated resolutions; and
``(E) such other information as determined by the
Administrator.
``(b) Definitions.--In this section, the following
definitions apply:
``(1) Prospectus.--The term `prospectus' means
prospectuses, building surveys, and factsheets submitted to
the committees of jurisdiction pursuant to sections 3307 and
3316.
``(2) Committees of jurisdiction.--The term `committees of
jurisdiction' means the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate.
``(3) Associated information.--The term `associated
information' means resolutions approved by the committees of
jurisdiction and other information as required pursuant to
subsection (a).''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of chapters for
chapter 33 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``3318. Availability of Federal building project information.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr.
Meadows) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon.
General Leave
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2502.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Oregon?
There was no objection.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in strong support of H.R. 2502, the Transparency in Federal
Buildings Projects Act of 2019, introduced by the gentleman from
Alabama (Mr. Palmer).
It is simple, but it is important. It is also common sense and
contributes to government transparency.
Mr. Speaker, you know that the Federal Government through the GSA is
[[Page H8489]]
the largest lessor or owner of commercial office space in the United
States of America.
The program can use some improvement, and this will help shine a
light on some of the issues and concerns we have as we look for some
reforms in the way we acquire property in the most cost-effective
manner for the American taxpayer. Sometimes GSA does things that make
little or no sense when they get into lease agreements, like they did
with the Department of Transportation, a beautiful new building. We are
now going to buy the building for the second time, essentially, by
having paid for the lease for a number of years. These things can be
done more effectively and more efficiently, and this legislation will
help set a path to that kind of cost savings.
It requires the General Services Administration to publish on its
website all prospectuses for leasing, design, or construction activity;
update the information quarterly, and maintain the information for no
less than 10 years in a readable, accessible, and--this is key--a
searchable form, not just post it and it is like, oh, sorry, there is
no index. It has to be searchable.
Mr. Speaker, this is a good-government bill designed to provide
taxpayers with information regarding the GSA's leasing, design, and
construction projects for Federal agencies.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2502, the Transparency in
Federal Buildings Projects Act. As the chairman just mentioned, it is a
commonsense piece of legislation.
I would like to thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Palmer) for his
leadership on this bill. I am pleased that I am actually a cosponsor of
this particular legislation.
H.R. 2502 does provide for greater transparency to the taxpayers on
the public buildings projects and leases. It actually would require the
General Services Administration, or what we refer to as GSA, to include
on its websites all project proposals and associated information and
submit that to Congress under the Public Buildings Act for approval.
This is a simple action, but it can have a significant impact on
improving the accountability and transparency that all American
taxpayers yearn for.
While GSA includes some information on its website, that information
provided is somewhat limited. This bill would ensure that taxpayers
know what projects have been proposed, how much they will cost, and
which have been actually approved.
In 2013 the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure began
filling this void by posting this information on its website. Since
that time the committee's website has become a critical resource not
only for the public and private sector but also for Federal agencies.
However, to ensure the continuity and that this information continues
to be regularly updated and maintained, this bill would place that
responsibility on GSA.
{time} 1615
As I mentioned, this is a commonsense, straightforward bill. I thank
Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for their willingness to
address efficient and effective government agency.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume the
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Palmer), the sponsor of this particular
piece of legislation.
Mr. PALMER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr.
Graves), the ranking member, and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr.
Meadows) for their work on the issue, and Chairman DeFazio for his
support.
The General Services Administration is required to submit to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and to the Senate
Committee on Environment and Public Works prospectuses that contain
information on proposed public projects for committee consideration.
In recent years, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
as has been mentioned, has posted this information about these projects
on its website to provide access to the public and private entities.
While the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has become a
resource for the public, and even for Federal agencies, this bill, the
Transparency in Federal Buildings Projects Act, would require the GSA
to make publicly available on its website all prospectuses and
associated information, pursuant to the Public Buildings Act.
This sensible reform will ensure that taxpayers have more information
about how their hard-earned dollars are being spent and managed. The
bill would strengthen transparency and accountability in Federal
construction, renovation, and leasing projects, and I urge my
colleagues to support it.
Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I am assuming
that the gentleman opposite is. As we close, I thank the chairman once
again for his support, and I thank the sponsor of this particular bill.
We do believe that GSA, in posting this information in a searchable
fashion, will provide for a more open and transparent government.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support that, and I yield back
the balance of my time
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, again, I congratulate the gentleman from
Alabama (Mr. Palmer) for proposing this new transparency legislation. I
am certain, in the end, it is ultimately going to save the taxpayers
money and lead to GSA, perhaps, performing in a more efficient manner.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of
my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2502.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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