The House of Representatives on Monday passed a bill aimed at bringing federal employees back to the office — or getting rid of space agencies aren’t using.
Called the Utilizing Space Efficiently and Improving Technologies Act, or “Use it” Act, the legislation requires the General Services Administration and the Office of Management and Budget to implement a standard measure for agencies’ use of federal buildings — and, if agencies use their space less than 60% of the time, to take steps to reduce or consolidate space. The bill also directs OMB to submit a plan to consolidate agency space and sell excess D.C. buildings.
The measure, which faces an uncertain path in the Senate, passed 217-203, largely along party lines, with six Democrats voting for it and two Republicans voting against. The election-year move is a strong signal that Republicans could push for more in-person work should they take full control of Congress or the White House in November.
“The bottom line is this: Agencies should bring federal workers back,” said the bill’s author, Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pennsylvania, at a hearing of the House Rules Committee Monday. “The reality is under-utilized space has been a chronic problem in federal real estate for a very long time now.”
