A bipartisan pair of first-year lawmakers want the federal government to reduce the amount of leased office space that goes unused.
On Monday, U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washougal, and Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-Flat Rock, North Carolina, introduced the Federal Use it or Lose it Leases (FULL) Act.
In a news release, Gluesenkamp Perez said if passed, the legislation would require:
• Federal tenants to submit an annual report on monthly occupancy rates to the General Services Administration (GSA)
• Federal tenants to prepare written procedures for returning infrequently used office space to the GSA
• Independent leasing authorities to submit annual reports on occupancy and space utilization to congressional committees
“Flexibility in where federal employees work has let public servants spend more time coaching Little League and less time commuting in traffic — and telework has been especially beneficial for our rural communities. But federal policy needs to keep up so taxpayers don’t foot the bill for empty office space,” Gluesenkamp Perez said in a statement. “The bipartisan FULL Act will help inform how leases are renewed and ensure unused space can be effectively repurposed. I’m grateful for Rep. Edwards’ partnership on this effort to reduce government waste and ensure your tax dollars are used responsibly.”
According to the release, federal agencies spent more than $1 billion annually on furnishings between 2020 and 2022, during the “maximum telework period.” Occupancy in federal Washington, D.C., offices is roughly half of the pre-pandemic level.
More than half of federal leases will expire in the next five years.
“The FULL Act will help prevent taxpayers from footing the bill for unused federal office space by making sure the federal government only leases the office space it needs and will use. As federal telework levels remain high, agencies’ D.C. HQ offices are sitting mostly empty,” Edwards said. “This legislation will enable Congress to effectively perform oversight of government spending on office leases by requiring federal agencies to use it or lose it.”
