Democracy in Design Act

Subjects: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:  <p><b>Democracy in Design Act</b> </p> <p>This bill requires the General Services Administration (GSA) to ensure that the design of federal public buildings (e.g., agency office buildings) adheres to the principles of the report titled <i>Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture</i>. </p> <p>The report was published by the Ad Hoc Committee on Federal Office Space on June 1, 1962, and serves as the policy directive for the GSA's Design Excellence Program within its Public Buildings Service. Among other principles, the report prescribes against the development of an official architectural style for government buildings and encourages the government to avoid excessive uniformity in building design.</p> <p>The GSA must issue regulations to implement the amendment made by this bill and to establish minimum standards for the design of public buildings.</p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 366 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 366

  To direct the Administrator of General Services to ensure that the 
design of public buildings in the United States adheres to the guiding 
      principles for Federal architecture, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 9, 2023

  Mr. Van Hollen (for himself and Mr. Lujan) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment 
                            and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Administrator of General Services to ensure that the 
design of public buildings in the United States adheres to the guiding 
      principles for Federal architecture, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Democracy in Design Act''.

SEC. 2. CONTINUING INVESTIGATION AND SURVEY OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

    (a) In General.--Section 3303 of title 40, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph 
        (1), by inserting ``(referred to in this section as the 
        `Administrator')'' after ``Services''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture.--The 
Administrator shall ensure that the design of public buildings in the 
United States adheres to the principles described in the report 
published by the Ad Hoc Committee on Federal Office Space entitled 
`Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture' and dated June 1, 
1962.''.
    (b) Rulemaking.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Administrator of General Services 
        shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary--
                    (A) to implement the amendment made by subsection 
                (a)(2); and
                    (B) to establish minimum standards by which the 
                Administrator of General Services shall design public 
                buildings in the United States.
            (2) Notice and comment.--The regulations required under 
        paragraph (1) shall be issued after notice and an opportunity 
        for public comment in accordance with the procedure applicable 
        to substantive rules under section 553 of title 5, United 
        States Code.
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