IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 163 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the need for appro-
priate 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 reso-
lution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure 
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 (for-
merly section 7 of Public Buildings Act of 1959), pro-
vides 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 unneces-
sary and costly capital projects and increase the possi-
bility 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 Fed-
eral 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 reli-
ance by the Federal Government on costly leasing; 
Whereas GAO recommends the following 3 principles in guid-
ing Federal infrastructure investments: (1) create well- 
defined goals based on identified areas of interest, (2) in-
corporate 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 over-
sight procedures is critical in the area of capital invest-
ments programs: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that— 
(1) the Administrator of General Services 
should not proceed with any public building or facil-
ity project for which a prospectus has been sub-
mitted to Congress pursuant to section 3307 of title 
40, United States Code, before the date of adoption 
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•HRES 163 IH 
of this resolution unless a resolution approving the 
project has been adopted pursuant to that section 
and the cost of the project does not exceed the esti-
mated maximum cost of the project approved under 
that section by more than 10 percent; and 
(2) in the case of a public building or facility 
project that may not be subject to the requirements 
of section 3307 of title 40, United States Code, pur-
suant to an Act of Congress, but otherwise meets 
the funding thresholds and criteria contained in that 
section, the Administrator of General Services 
should submit to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
a detailed plan of the project, including an estimate 
of the number of jobs the project will create, prior 
to taking actions in furtherance of the project. 
Æ 
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