I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4863 

To establish a competitive bidding process for the relocation of the 

headquarters of Executive agencies, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 19, 2018 

Mr. MESSER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the 

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 

such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To establish a competitive bidding process for the relocation 

of the headquarters of Executive agencies, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strategic Withdrawal 

5 of Agencies for Meaningful Placement Act of 2018’’ or 

6 ‘‘SWAMP Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. RELOCATION OF HEADQUARTERS OF EXECUTIVE 

2 AGENCIES. 

3 (a) REPEAL OF HEADQUARTERS LOCATION RE4 QUIREMENT.—Section 72 of title 4, United States Code, 

5 is repealed. 

6 (b) PROHIBITION ON LOCATION OF HEADQUARTERS

7 IN WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA.—With respect to 

8 an Executive agency whose headquarters is located in the 

9 Washington metropolitan area as of the date of the enact10 ment of this Act, no new construction or major renova11 tions may be undertaken, or lease agreements entered into 

12 or renewed, for such headquarters after such date of en13 actment, except as otherwise expressly provided by law. 

14 (c) COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS FOR RELOCA15 TION OF HEADQUARTERS.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

17 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Ad18 ministrator of General Services shall establish a 

19 process, in accordance with the requirements de20 scribed in paragraph (2), through which— 

21 (A) the head of an Executive agency may 

22 submit a request for the Administrator to issue 

23 a solicitation for the relocation of the head24 quarters of such agency; or 


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1 (B) if determined necessary, the Adminis2 trator may issue a solicitation for the relocation 

3 of the headquarters of an Executive agency. 

4 (2) REQUIREMENTS.—With respect to any so5 licitation issued for the relocation of the head6 quarters of an Executive agency pursuant to para7 graph (1), the Administrator of General Services 

8 shall— 

9 (A) allow any State and any political sub10 division of a State to submit a bid for the relo11 cation of such headquarters; 

12 (B) provide the public with notice and an 

13 opportunity to comment on such solicitation; 

14 and 

15 (C) in consultation with the head of such 

16 agency, select a State, or a political subdivision 

17 of a State, for the relocation of such head18 quarters using competitive bidding procedures 

19 that consider the following: 

20 (i) The extent to which the relocation 

21 of such headquarters would impact the 

22 economy and workforce development of a 

23 State or political subdivision of a State. 

24 (ii) Whether a State, or a political 

25 subdivision of a State, has expertise in carVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:00 Jan 21, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4863.IH H4863

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1 rying out activities substantially similar to 

2 the mission and goals of such agency. 

3 (iii) The extent to which the reloca4 tion of such headquarters to a State, or a 

5 political subdivision of a State, would im6 plicate national security interests. 

7 (d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 

8 may be construed to prohibit a political subdivision of the 

9 State of Maryland or the Commonwealth of Virginia that 

10 is located outside the Washington metropolitan area from 

11 submitting a bid under subsection (c)(2)(A). 

12 (e) OFFSET ALLOWED.—The Administrator of Gen13 eral Services may use the proceeds from the sale of any 

14 Federal building or land to offset the cost of relocating 

15 the headquarters of an Executive agency. 

16 (f) NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.—No addi17 tional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements 

18 of this Act. Such requirements shall be carried out using 

19 amounts otherwise authorized. 

20 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

21 (1) EXECUTIVE AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Executive 

22 agency’’ has the meaning given that term in section 

23 105 of title 5, United States Code, except that the 

24 term does not include the Executive Office of the 

25 President. 


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1 (2) HEADQUARTERS.—The term ‘‘head2 quarters’’ means the place or building serving as the 

3 managerial and administrative center of an Execu4 tive agency, except that the term does not include an 

5 office that the head of any such agency may main6 tain separately from such place or building in the 

7 Washington metropolitan area. 

8 (3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 

9 the 50 States. 

10 (4) WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA.—The 

11 term ‘‘Washington metropolitan area’’ means the ge12 ographic area located within the boundaries of the 

13 following: 

14 (A) The District of Columbia. 

15 (B) Montgomery and Prince George’s 

16 Counties in the State of Maryland. 

17 (C) Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and 

18 Prince William Counties and the City of Alex19 andria in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

Æ 


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