Downtown Equity Act of 1999

Summary: Directs the Administrator of General Services to study and report to Congress on the feasibility of establishing a system for: (1) assessing the costs of locating Federal facilities in rural areas as compared to urban areas, in central business areas of rural areas as compared  to rural areas outside central business areas, and in central business areas of urban areas as compared to urban areas outside central business areas; (2) adjusting the absolute comparable costs to correct for the inherent differences in property values between rural areas and urban areas; and (3) assessing the impacts on land use, air quality and other environmental factors, and to historic preservation, in the location of Federal facilities.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 and 2002.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Downtown Equity Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that locating Federal facilities in 
central business areas--
            (1) strengthens the economic base of cities, towns, and 
        rural communities of the United States and makes them 
        attractive places to live and work;
            (2) enhances livability by limiting sprawl and providing 
        air quality and other environmental benefits; and
            (3) supports historic development patterns.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to ensure that Federal agencies recognize the 
        implications of the location of Federal facilities on the 
        character, environment, economic development patterns, and 
        infrastructure of communities;
            (2) to ensure that the General Services Administration and 
        other Federal agencies that make independent location decisions 
        give first priority to locating Federal facilities in central 
        business areas;
            (3) to encourage preservation of historic buildings and 
        stabilization of historic areas; and
            (4) to direct the Administrator of General Services to 
        study the feasibility of establishing a system for meaningful 
        comparison of Federal facility procurement costs between 
        central business areas and areas outside central business 
        areas.

SEC. 3. LOCATION OF FEDERAL FACILITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Public Buildings Act of 1959 (40 U.S.C. 601 et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 22. LOCATION OF FEDERAL FACILITIES.

    ``(a) Priority for Central Business Areas.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2) and 
        as otherwise provided by law, in locating (including 
        relocating) Federal facilities, the head of each Federal agency 
        shall give first priority to central business areas.
            ``(2) Exception.--The priority required under paragraph (1) 
        may be waived if location in a central business area--
                    ``(A) would materially compromise the mission of 
                the agency; or
                    ``(B) would not be economically prudent.
    ``(b) Implementation.--
            ``(1) Actions by administrator.--The Administrator shall--
                    ``(A) promulgate such regulations as are necessary 
                to implement the requirements of subsection (a) with 
                respect to locating Federal facilities--
                            ``(i) in public buildings acquired under 
                        this Act; and
                            ``(ii) in leased space acquired by the 
                        Administrator under section 210(h) of the 
                        Federal Property and Administrative Services 
                        Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 490(h)); and
                    ``(B) report annually to Congress--
                            ``(i) on compliance with subsection (a) by 
                        the Administrator in carrying out--
                                    ``(I) public building location 
                                actions under this Act; and
                                    ``(II) lease procurement actions 
                                under section 210(h) of the Federal 
                                Property and Administrative Services 
                                Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 490(h)); and
                            ``(ii) on compliance with this section by 
                        Federal agencies--
                                    ``(I) in acting under delegations 
                                of authority under this Act; and
                                    ``(II) in the case of lease 
                                procurement actions, in using leasing 
                                authority delegated under the Federal 
                                Property and Administrative Services 
                                Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 471 et seq.).
            ``(2) Actions by federal agencies.--Each Federal agency 
        shall--
                    ``(A) comply with the regulations promulgated by 
                the Administrator under paragraph (1)(A); and
                    ``(B) report annually to the Administrator 
                concerning--
                            ``(i) the actions of the Federal agency in 
                        locating public buildings under this Act; and
                            ``(ii) lease procurement actions taken by 
                        the Federal agency using leasing authority 
                        delegated under the Federal Property and 
                        Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 
                        471 et seq.).''.
    (b) Definitions.--Section 13 of the Public Buildings Act of 1959 
(40 U.S.C. 612) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) Central business area.--The term `central business 
        area' means--
                    ``(A) the centralized business area of a community, 
                as determined by local officials; and
                    ``(B) any area adjacent and similar in character to 
                a centralized business area of a community, including 
                any specific area that may be determined by local 
                officials to be such an adjacent and similar area.
            ``(9) Federal facility.--The term `Federal facility' means 
        the site of a project to construct, alter, purchase, or acquire 
        (including lease) a public building, or to lease office or any 
        other type of space, under this Act or the Federal Property and 
        Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 471 et seq.).''.

SEC. 4. STUDY OF PROCUREMENT COST ASSESSMENT METHODS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``central business 
area'' and ``Federal facility'' have the meanings given the terms in 
section 13 of the Public Buildings Act of 1959 (40 U.S.C. 612).
    (b) Study.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator of General Services shall conduct a study 
and report to Congress on the feasibility of establishing a system 
for--
            (1) assessing and giving equal consideration to the 
        absolute and adjusted comparable costs (as determined under 
        paragraph (2)) of--
                    (A) locating Federal facilities in rural areas as 
                compared to locating Federal facilities in urban areas;
                    (B) locating Federal facilities in central business 
                areas of rural areas as compared to locating Federal 
                facilities in rural areas outside central business 
                areas; and
                    (C) locating Federal facilities in central business 
                areas of urban areas as compared to locating Federal 
                facilities in urban areas outside central business 
                areas;
            (2) for the purposes of paragraph (1), adjusting the 
        absolute comparable costs referred to in that paragraph to 
        correct for the inherent differences in property values between 
        rural areas and urban areas; and
            (3) assessing and giving consideration to the impacts on 
        land use, air quality and other environmental factors, and to 
        historic preservation, in the location of Federal facilities.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to amounts made 
available under any other law, there is authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this section $200,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 and 
2002.