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Washington, D.C., June 11th – Congressman Jim Moran, Virginia Democrat, successfully included an amendment to the FY’08 Financial Services Appropriations Bill that would give the General Services Administration (GSA) flexibility to consider factors other than just security when approving federal agencies to locate operations in leased office space. The amendment was approved on a voice vote.
“The security standards currently used by the GSA to determine where federally leased office space can be located are stringent,” said Moran. “None of the House and Senate Office Buildings even comes close to meeting these standards. My amendment doesn’t change those standards. Rather, it explicitly allows the GSA to consider factors other than simply security when determining if an agency can use leased space.
“Like a good realtor, the GSA should be there to ensure the federal government procures office space that best meets the agency’s needs. Safety is a major concern, but one that should be balanced with such factors as accessibility to public transit, whether the building is energy efficient and whether a local workforce possessing the required skills exists.”
Under the Interagency Security Committee standards for government leased space, most government buildings are required to be set back from the street at least 50 feet. Buildings need be retrofitted with costly blast mitigation measures, including shatter proof window glazing. Few if any buildings in Washington, D.C. meet this standard.
Having passed in committee, the FY’08 Financial Services Appropriations Bill is expected to be considered on the House floor next week for a vote.
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