IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 163 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the need for appropriate accountability and congressional oversight of public buildings and 

facilities projects. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 12, 2009 

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida (for himself, Mr. MICA, Ms. FALLIN, 

Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CAO, and Mr. GUTHRIE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on 

the need for appropriate accountability and congressional 

oversight of public buildings and facilities projects. 

Whereas section 3307 of title 40, United States Code (formerly section 7 of Public Buildings Act of 1959), provides for appropriate accountability and congressional 

oversight of public buildings and facilities projects; 

Whereas exceptions to the oversight provisions of that section 

increase the potential for wasteful spending on unnecessary and costly capital projects and increase the possibility that taxpayers will pay for projects that are against 

the public interest and excessive; 


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•HRES 163 IH 

Whereas the potential for nearly $8 billion in Federal funds 

to be spent on public buildings and facilities projects 

without the standard oversight mechanisms could lead to 

waste and unchecked decisionmaking by unaccountable 

bureaucrats; 

Whereas Federal spending on unnecessary capital projects 

minimizes the amount of resources available for other 

projects that are necessary and appropriate to meet Federal space needs; 

Whereas the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has 

placed the management of Federal real property on its 

high risk list, citing among other issues an increased reliance by the Federal Government on costly leasing; 

Whereas GAO recommends the following 3 principles in guiding Federal infrastructure investments: (1) create welldefined goals based on identified areas of interest, (2) incorporate performance and accountability into funding 

decisions, and (3) employ the best tools and approaches 

to emphasize return on investment; and 

Whereas maintaining responsible, effective, and efficient oversight procedures is critical in the area of capital investments programs: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) the Administrator of General Services 

4 should not proceed with any public building or facil5 ity project for which a prospectus has been sub6 mitted to Congress pursuant to section 3307 of title 

7 40, United States Code, before the date of adoption 


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1 of this resolution unless a resolution approving the 

2 project has been adopted pursuant to that section 

3 and the cost of the project does not exceed the esti4 mated maximum cost of the project approved under 

5 that section by more than 10 percent; and 

6 (2) in the case of a public building or facility 

7 project that may not be subject to the requirements 

8 of section 3307 of title 40, United States Code, pur9 suant to an Act of Congress, but otherwise meets 

10 the funding thresholds and criteria contained in that 

11 section, the Administrator of General Services 

12 should submit to the Committee on Transportation 

13 and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 

14 a detailed plan of the project, including an estimate 

15 of the number of jobs the project will create, prior 

16 to taking actions in furtherance of the project. 

Æ 


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