[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 19, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H1209-H1211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          FEDERAL OVERSIGHT OF CONSTRUCTION USE AND SAFETY ACT

  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 6260) to provide for certain reviews of the use 
and safety of Federal buildings, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6260

       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 ``Federal Oversight of 
     Construction Use and Safety Act'' or the ``FOCUS Act''.

     SEC. 2. ELIMINATING PROJECT ESCALATIONS.

       Section 3307(c) of title 40, United States Code, is amended 
     by adding at the end the following: ``The Administrator shall 
     notify, in writing, the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate of 
     any increase of more than 5 percent of an estimated maximum 
     cost or of any increase or decrease in the scope or size of a 
     project of 5 or more percent. Such notification shall include 
     an explanation regarding any such increase or decrease. The 
     scope or size of a project shall not increase or decrease by 
     more than 10 percent unless an amended prospectus is 
     submitted and approved pursuant to this section.''

     SEC. 3. PUBLIC SAFETY AT FEDERAL BUILDINGS.

       (a) Data Collection.--The Administrator of General Services 
     shall collect data from tenant Federal agencies reports of 
     any safety incidents as a result of criminal or other 
     activity impacting public safety in and around public 
     buildings, as defined in section 3301 of title 40, United 
     States Code.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the 
     Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
     of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works of the Senate a report that--
       (1) contains the data collected under subsection (a); and
       (2) describes any actions taken or planned, if necessary, 
     to improve building management and operations to address such 
     incidents.

     SEC. 4. REDUCING WASTE IN NEW PROJECTS.

       Section 3307(b) of title 40, United States Code, is 
     amended--

[[Page H1210]]

       (1) in paragraph (7) by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in paragraph (8) by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting a semicolon; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(9) information on any space occupied by the relevant 
     agency in the geographical area of the proposed facility, 
     including uses, utilization rates, any proposed 
     consolidations, and, if not proposed to be consolidated, a 
     justification for such determination;
       ``(10) a statement by the Administrator of whether the 
     public building needs of the Government for the proposed 
     space to be leased were formerly met by a federally owned 
     building, including any building identified for disposal or 
     sale; and
       ``(11) details on actual utilization rates, including 
     number of personnel assigned to the facility, number of 
     personnel expected to work in-person at the facility and 
     whether all personnel identified reflect filled and 
     authorized positions.''.

     SEC. 5. REVIEW OF SPECIAL USE SPACE.

       (a) Review.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall review the use of special use spaces in Federal 
     buildings, including conference centers, fitness centers, and 
     similar spaces to determine levels of utilization, 
     opportunities for sharing, collocating, and other 
     efficiencies.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit 
     to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works of the Senate a report containing the review 
     under subsection (a).

     SEC. 6. INTERAGENCY SPACE COORDINATION.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 33 of title 40, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``Sec. 3319. Interagency space coordination

       ``Unless a Federal agency specifically restricts the 
     sharing of the information described in this section for 
     national security purposes, the Administrator of General 
     Services shall share with tenant Federal agencies pursuing 
     new or replacement office space information on any other 
     Federal agencies located in the same geographical area for 
     purposes of determining opportunities for consolidations, 
     collocations, or other space sharing to reduce the costs of 
     space and maximize space utilization.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 33 of 
     title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:

``3319. Interagency space coordination.''.

     SEC. 7. NOTIFICATION OF MILESTONES.

       Section 3307 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(i) Notification Required.--For each project approved 
     under this section, the Administrator shall notify, in 
     writing, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
     of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works of the Senate of any project 
     milestones that are accomplished, including--
       ``(1) the solicitation and award of design and construction 
     services;
       ``(2) the completion of any actions required for such 
     project pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 
     1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);
       ``(3) any ceremonies for the beginning or completion of 
     such project;
       ``(4) a naming ceremony for such project; and
       ``(5) the completion of such project.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
South Dakota (Mr. Johnson) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Menendez) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Dakota.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. 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. 6260, as 
amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from South Dakota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, first, I thank the bill's sponsor, the gentlewoman from 
Oregon (Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer), for her leadership on H.R. 6260, the 
FOCUS Act.
  The gentlewoman is a remarkable Member of Congress. She is 
hardworking, diligent, and smart as a whip. H.R. 6260 is just one of 
the many examples of her leadership that she has blessed the 118th 
with.
  Specifically, the FOCUS Act increases transparency and oversight. It 
does that by implementing a number of measures that increase the 
information that the General Services Administration provides to 
Congress that is going to give us a better opportunity to strengthen 
oversight of Federal space and public building projects.
  More specifically, this bill would ensure Congress is notified if the 
costs for authorized GSA projects change by more than 5 percent.
  We have all seen, I suspect, outside of government how often cost 
overruns have been happening in the broader economy and what kind of 
costs and confusion they can impose. This bill would help us get better 
data on what is going on with government projects, and it would require 
GSA to include in its new project proposals more details on space 
utilization rates and ensures GSA's tenant agencies have information on 
other agencies nearby to support consolidation of space.
  I think this has taken on renewed importance as we have seen 
additional studies about the low occupancy rates that we continue to 
see within a number of GSA-managed buildings.
  This bill would also require GSA to collect data and report on 
criminal activity that may be impacting public safety in and around 
public buildings.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6260, as amended. H.R. 6260, 
the Federal Oversight of Construction Use and Safety Act, introduced by 
Representative Chavez-DeRemer, makes a good faith effort at reducing 
the costs of the General Service Administration's capital projects.
  The bill requires GSA to notify the House Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on the Environment and 
Public Works--GSA's congressional authorizers--when GSA construction or 
renovation project costs increase or decrease by 5 percent. It also 
requires GSA to submit an amended prospectus to congressional 
authorizers when project costs increase or decrease by more than 10 
percent.
  The FOCUS Act requires GSA to collect data from tenants about safety 
incidents in and around public buildings and submit that data to 
congressional authorizers.
  It requires GSA to include utilization and occupancy data and 
prospectuses submitted to congressional authorizers. Additionally, the 
bill requires GSA to share location information between Federal 
agencies in the same geographical area to facilitate opportunities for 
space sharing and consolidations.

                              {time}  1700

  This bill also requires GSA to notify congressional authorizers when 
project milestones are accomplished, such as the solicitation and award 
of design services, the completion of any actions required under the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and when the project is 
completed.
  Finally, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to 
require the use of special spaces, such as fitness centers and 
conference centers, in Federal buildings.
  With strong provisions like these, this bill will likely help reduce 
the costs of GSA capital projects.
  I support H.R. 6260, as amended, and I urge my colleagues to do the 
same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Oregon (Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer).
  Mrs. CHAVEZ-DeREMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the 
FOCUS Act, a bill that makes much-needed reforms to the Federal 
Government's real estate practices.
  With our national debt at $34 trillion and rising, it is our duty as 
lawmakers to root out wasteful spending and restore fiscal 
responsibility.
  Recently, the Government Accountability Office reviewed 24 Federal 
agencies to analyze office space usage. The study found that of the 24 
offices reviewed, 17 of the agencies used just 25 percent or less of 
the building's capacity.
  It is clear that office space utilization has decreased dramatically 
in both the public and private sectors. Many companies have adjusted by 
downsizing or selling office space to save money.
  As a small business owner myself, consolidating office space to 
reduce costs would be a straightforward, sensible decision to make.
  Unfortunately, we often see the bureaucracy treat Americans' tax 
dollars like monopoly money. We throw it around. The FOCUS Act would 
change

[[Page H1211]]

that and, by promoting consolidation, ensure taxpayer money isn't being 
wasted on unused real estate.
  Transparency leads to accountability, and that is why this bill also 
requires Congress to be notified of significant increases in rent 
payments.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense 
proposal to rein in unnecessary spending and improve transparency in 
Federal real estate practices.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6260, the Federal Oversight of 
Construction Use and Safety Act, introduced by my colleague, 
Representative Chavez-DeRemer, makes a good faith effort at reducing 
the costs of GSA's capital projects.
  I support this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance 
of my time.
  So often our attention is pulled to the massive issues, the sexy 
fights that sometimes divide this Chamber. The bill before us, Mr. 
Speaker, of course, is not that. It is commonsense legislation. It is 
the kind of meat and potatoes, blocking and tackling legislation that 
so many Americans, I think, are hungry for. It is a data-driven 
proposal.
  We heard from Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer that 17 of 24 buildings in the 
study that she cited were dramatically underutilized. This is an 
opportunity for good managers within the GSA and good managers within 
Congress to use the data that her bill would provide to make better 
decisions. What a delightful outcome that would be.
  As we have discussed, this bill would increase transparency, 
strengthen accountability, assist the committee in its oversight of 
Federal space utilization, and help us increase safety at our public 
buildings.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Johnson) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6260, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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