COMMENTARY: Making sure federal properties are used in the most efficient manner

The Review-Journal recently published an editorial regarding the use of federal government offices and the cost to the American taxpayer.

The responsible use of taxpayer dollars is an issue that I regularly hear about from constituents, and one I take very seriously. I believe the federal government should cut costs where possible to keep more money in the pockets of taxpaying Americans.

In Congress, I am leading the way to change how the federal government manages and reviews the use of federal property, and I’m proud to report two of my bills passed the House this month.

The first of these is my bill H.R. 6277, the FASTA Reform Act of 2023. The Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act (FASTA) was signed into law in 2016 and established the Public Buildings Reform Board, an independent federal agency, to review and recommend unused properties for the government to sell.

Once the properties were identified, the board was to work with the Office of Management and Budget and the General Services Administration to dispose of these properties via a new, temporary three-round process.

Although the legislation was passed in 2016, board members were not appointed until May 2019. The board was unable to conduct business for most of 2022 after two members resigned.

My bill requires federal agencies to share property data and consolidation plans with the board and enable the board to streamline their review process by updating meeting quorum requirements and allowing them to provide recommendations to the OMB on a rolling basis.

I also introduced H.R. 6316, which establishes an expiration date for federal leases and projects.

My bill sets a five-year expiration on GSA construction, alteration, repair, design or acquisition projects. This means that if within five years of the passage of a resolution the administration has not executed the project, the authorization is deemed expired.

Time and time again Congress has struggled to obtain information from the GSA on the status of ongoing projects, especially the construction of new courthouses, and the cost to the American taxpayer for these delays. This system is broken and must be reformed.

I firmly believe that taxpayer dollars must be spent responsibly, and the federal government should adapt to changing workplace culture and needs. Members from both sides of the aisle agree we must reduce costs and create a government which functions in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Rep. Dina Titus, a Democrat, has represented Nevada’s 1st Congressional District since 2013.