SWAMP Act

Bill: 115-hr-4863
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Messer, Luke [R-IN-6]
Introduced: 2018-01-19
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Building construction

District of Columbia

Executive agency funding and structure

Government buildings, facilities, and property

Maryland

Virginia
Latest action: action_date: 2018-01-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-01-19
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Strategic Withdrawal of Agencies for Meaningful Placement Act of 2018 or the SWAMP Act</b></p> <p>This bill: (1) repeals the requirement that all offices attached to the seat of government be exercised in the District of Columbia, and not elsewhere; and (2) prohibits new construction or major renovation of certain executive agency headquarters in the Washington Metropolitan area.</p> <p>The General Services Administration (GSA) must: (1) establish a process to allow an executive agency to request GSA to issue a solicitation for the relocation of its headquarters; (2) allow any state to bid for the relocation of the agency's headquarters; and (3) in consultation with the executive agency, select a state for the relocation of the agency's headquarters using a competitive bidding procedure based on certain considerations.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4863 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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Strategic Withdrawal of Agencies for Meaningful Placement Act of 2018 or SWAMP Act . 2. Relocation of headquarters of Executive agencies (a) Repeal of headquarters location requirement Section 72 of title 4, United States Code, is repealed. (b) Prohibition on location of headquarters in Washington metropolitan area With respect to an Executive agency whose headquarters is located in the Washington metropolitan area as of the date of the enactment of this Act, no new construction or major renovations may be undertaken, or lease agreements entered into or renewed, for such headquarters after such date of enactment, except as otherwise expressly provided by law. (c) Competitive bidding process for relocation of headquarters (1) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of General Services shall establish a process, in accordance with the requirements described in paragraph (2), through which— (A) the head of an Executive agency may submit a request for the Administrator to issue a solicitation for the relocation of the headquarters of such agency; or (B) if determined necessary, the Administrator may issue a solicitation for the relocation of the headquarters of an Executive agency. (2) Requirements With respect to any solicitation issued for the relocation of the headquarters of an Executive agency pursuant to paragraph (1), the Administrator of General Services shall— (A) allow any State and any political subdivision of a State to submit a bid for the relocation of such headquarters; (B) provide the public with notice and an opportunity to comment on such solicitation; and (C) in consultation with the head of such agency, select a State, or a political subdivision of a State, for the relocation of such headquarters using competitive bidding procedures that consider the following: (i) The extent to which the relocation of such headquarters would impact the economy and workforce development of a State or political subdivision of a State. (ii) Whether a State, or a political subdivision of a State, has expertise in carrying out activities substantially similar to the mission and goals of such agency. (iii) The extent to which the relocation of such headquarters to a State, or a political subdivision of a State, would implicate national security interests. (d) Rule of construction Nothing in this Act may be construed to prohibit a political subdivision of the State of Maryland or the Commonwealth of Virginia that is located outside the Washington metropolitan area from submitting a bid under subsection (c)(2)(A). (e) Offset allowed The Administrator of General Services may use the proceeds from the sale of any Federal building or land to offset the cost of relocating the headquarters of an Executive agency. (f) No additional funds authorized No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this Act. Such requirements shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized. (g) Definitions In this section: (1) Executive agency The term Executive agency has the meaning given that term in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, except that the term does not include the Executive Office of the President. (2) Headquarters The term headquarters means the place or building serving as the managerial and administrative center of an Executive agency, except that the term does not include an office that the head of any such agency may maintain separately from such place or building in the Washington metropolitan area. (3) State The term State means each of the 50 States. (4) Washington metropolitan area The term Washington metropolitan area means the geographic area located within the boundaries of the following: (A) The District of Columbia. (B) Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in the State of Maryland. (C) Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties and the City of Alexandria in the Commonwealth of Virginia.