119-s353

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 353 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 353

 To establish a commission to study the relocation of certain agencies 
 outside of the Washington, DC metropolitan area, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 February 3, 2025

Mrs. Blackburn (for herself, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Tillis, and Mr. Ricketts) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
 Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To establish a commission to study the relocation of certain agencies 
 outside of the Washington, DC metropolitan area, 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 ``Commission to Relocate the Federal 
Bureaucracy Act''.

SEC. 2. AGENCY RELOCATION COMMISSION.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-

    (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given the 
 term in 

section 551 of title 5, United States Code.

    (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the 
 Commission established under subsection

    (b) .

    (3) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means an 
 agency that is not a security-related agency, as determined by 
 the President.

    (4) Telework.--The term ``telework'' has the meaning given 
 the term in 

section 6501 of title 5, United States Code.

    (5) Washington, dc metropolitan area.--The term 
 ``Washington, DC metropolitan area'' means--
        (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.

    (b) Establishment.--There is established a Commission to study the 
relocation of covered agencies based in the Washington, DC metropolitan 
area to other areas throughout the United States.
            (c) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of--

    (1) the Director of the White House Presidential Personnel 
 Office;

    (2) the Director of the Office of Personnel Management;

    (3) the Comptroller General of the United States;

    (4) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;

    (5) the Secretary of Agriculture;

    (6) the Secretary of Commerce;

    (7) the Secretary of Education;

    (8) the Secretary of Energy;

    (9) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;

    (10) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;

    (11) the Secretary of the Interior;

    (12) the Secretary of Labor;

    (13) the Secretary of Transportation;

    (14) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;

    (15) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
 Agency; and

    (16) the Commissioner of Food and Drugs.
            (d) Report.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
 enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress 
 a report on the study described in subsection

    (b) .

    (2) Factors.--In developing the report required under 
 paragraph

    (1) , the Commission shall recommend the transfer of 
 covered agencies with consideration of--
        (A) financial efficiency, including whether the 
 cost of living of an area is below the national 
 average;
        (B) whether an area has adequate pre-existing 
 infrastructure and available private land to be used 
 for the purpose of covered agencies;
            (C) whether an area has existing industries 
 relating to the business of a covered agency that can 
 serve as public and private sector partners of the 
 covered agency and strengthen the ability of the 
 covered agency to carry out the duties of the covered 
 agency;
            (D) whether, at any time during the 5-year period 
 preceding the date of enactment of this Act, not less 
 than 50 percent of the workforce of the covered agency 
 has participated in telework;
        (E) whether an area maintains adequate technology 
 infrastructure to allow agencies to operate 
 efficiently; and
        (F) whether an area is--
            (i) a qualified opportunity zone (as 
 defined in 

section 1400Z-1

    (a) of the Internal 
 Revenue Code of 1986); or
            (ii) an area that meets one or more of the 
 criteria described in 

section 301

    (a) of the 
 Public Works and Economic Development Act of 
 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3161

    (a) ).

    (3) Community engagement.--In developing the report 
 required under paragraph

    (1) , the Commission shall consult with 
 stakeholders that are local to potential relocation sites, 
 including State and local government officials, business 
 leaders from relevant industries, representatives from regional 
 economic development agencies, and residents.

    (4) Relocation target.--In developing the report required 
 under paragraph

    (1) , the Commission shall prioritize achieving 
 a goal of transferring not fewer than 100,000 employees of 
 covered agencies outside of the Washington, DC metropolitan 
 area.
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