I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1701 
To establish a commission to study the relocation of select executive agencies 
or divisions of such agencies outside the Washington metropolitan area, 
to make recommendations to Congress on appropriate findings, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 12, 2019 
Mr. RYAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a commission to study the relocation of select 
executive agencies or divisions of such agencies outside 
the Washington metropolitan area, to make recommenda-
tions to Congress on appropriate findings, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Government 
Decentralization Commission Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 
There is established in the General Services Adminis-
tration a commission to be known as the ‘‘Federal Govern-
ment Decentralization Commission’’ (in this Act referred 
to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 
The Commission shall— 
(1) study the relocation of executive agencies or 
divisions of executive agencies outside the Wash-
ington metropolitan area; and 
(2) submit to Congress a plan for the relocation 
of recommended agencies or divisions. 
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. 
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 
shall be composed of the Administrator of General Serv-
ices (or a designee) and 10 other members, appointed as 
follows: 
(1) Two members shall be appointed by the ma-
jority leader of the Senate. 
(2) Two members shall be appointed by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
(3) Two members shall be appointed by the mi-
nority leader of the Senate. 
(4) Two members shall be appointed by the mi-
nority leader of the House of Representatives. 
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(5) Two members shall be appointed by the Ad-
ministrator of the General Service Administration. 
(b) DEADLINE
FOR INITIAL APPOINTMENT.—The 
initial members of the Commission shall be appointed not 
later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(c) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission— 
(1) shall not affect the powers of the Commis-
sion; and 
(2) shall be filled in the same manner as the 
original appointment was made. 
(d) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Commis-
sion shall serve without pay. 
(e) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the Com-
mission shall be allowed a per diem allowance for travel 
expenses, at rates consistent with those authorized under 
subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code. 
(f) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Commis-
sion shall be the Administrator of General Services (or a 
designee). 
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND STAFF PROVIDED 
BY THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRA-
TION. 
Administrative and support staff for the Commission 
shall be provided by the General Services Administration. 
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SEC. 6. SUBMISSION OF PLAN TO CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall 
develop and submit to Congress a plan for the relocation 
of executive agencies or divisions of executive agencies out-
side the Washington metropolitan area. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR PLAN.—The plan shall in-
clude the following: 
(1) An identification of new locations for execu-
tive agencies or divisions of executive agencies out-
side the Washington metropolitan area, which shall 
be prioritized— 
(A) by relocation to a low-income commu-
nity; or 
(B) by relocation to areas with expertise in 
the mission and goal of the executive agency or 
division. 
(2) A consideration of national security implica-
tions of the relocation. 
(3) An economic and workforce development 
study on how the relocation of an executive agency 
or division would impact the new location. 
(4) A list of potential site acquisitions and par-
tial prospectus for executive agencies or divisions of 
executive agencies, which shall include— 
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(A) a brief description of the building to be 
constructed, altered, or leased; 
(B) the location of the building; and 
(C) an estimate of the maximum cost of 
the acquisition and the relocation. 
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) EXECUTIVE AGENCY.—The term ‘‘executive 
agency’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘Executive 
agency’’ in section 105 of title 5, United States 
Code, except that the term does not include the Ex-
ecutive Office of the President. 
(2) LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘low- 
income community’’ has the meaning given that 
term in section 45D(e) of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 45D(e)). 
(3) WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA.—The 
term ‘‘Washington metropolitan area’’ means the ge-
ographic area located within the boundaries of— 
(A) the District of Columbia; 
(B) Montgomery and Prince George’s 
Counties in the State of Maryland; and 
(C) 
Arlington, 
Fairfax, 
Loudon, 
and 
Prince William Counties and the City of Alex-
andria in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 
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SEC. 8. TERMINATION. 
The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the 
submission of the plan under section 6. 
SEC. 9. FUNDING. 
No new appropriations may be obligated to carry out 
this Act. 
Æ 
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