Federal Government Decentralization Commission Act

Bill: 117-hr-2345
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]
Introduced: 2021-04-01
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Advisory bodies

Congressional oversight

District of Columbia

Economic development

Executive agency funding and structure

General Services Administration

Government buildings, facilities, and property

Government studies and investigations

Land transfers

Maryland

Poverty and welfare assistance

Virginia
Latest action: action_date: 2021-04-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-04-01
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Building Rural Investments, Development, and Growth for the Economy Act or the BRIDGE Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Commerce and the Department of State to promote the export of goods and services by small- and medium-sized businesses from, and facilitate business investment in, rural areas of the United States. A <i>rural area</i> is an area with a population of less than 50,000 inhabitants that is outside an urbanized area.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2345 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 1, 2021 Mr. Ryan (for himself, Mr. Joyce of Ohio , and Mr. Gonzalez of Ohio ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 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 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Federal Government Decentralization Commission Act . 2. Establishment There is established in the General Services Administration a commission to be known as the Federal Government Decentralization Commission (in this Act referred to as the Commission ). 3. Duties of Commission The Commission shall— (1) study the relocation of executive agencies or divisions of executive agencies outside the Washington metropolitan area; and (2) submit to Congress a plan for the relocation of recommended agencies or divisions. 4. Membership (a) Number and appointment The Commission shall be composed of the Administrator of General Services (or a designee) and 10 other members, appointed as follows: (1) Two members shall be appointed by the majority 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 minority leader of the Senate. (4) Two members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives. (5) Two members shall be appointed by the Administrator 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 Commission; and (2) shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made. (d) Compensation Each member of the Commission shall serve without pay. (e) Travel expenses Each member of the Commission 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 Commission shall be the Administrator of General Services (or a designee). 5. Administrative support and staff provided by the General Services Administration Administrative and support staff for the Commission shall be provided by the General Services Administration. 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 outside the Washington metropolitan area. (b) Requirements for plan The plan shall include the following: (1) An identification of new locations for executive agencies or divisions of executive agencies outside the Washington metropolitan area, which shall be prioritized— (A) by relocation to a low-income community; 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 implications 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 partial prospectus for executive agencies or divisions of executive agencies, which shall include— (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. 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 Executive 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 geographic 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 Alexandria in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 8. Termination The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the submission of the plan under section 6. 9. Funding No new appropriations may be obligated to carry out this Act.