Bill > S353

This bill establishes a Commission to study the potential relocation of certain federal agencies from the Washington, DC metropolitan area to other regions of the United States. The Commission will be composed of 16 high-ranking government officials, including cabinet secretaries and agency directors, who will conduct a comprehensive study and submit a report to Congress within one year of the Act's enactment. The study will evaluate potential relocation sites based on several key factors, including financial efficiency (such as lower cost of living), existing infrastructure, presence of related industries, workforce telework history, technological capabilities, and whether the area is a qualified opportunity zone or meets economic development criteria. The Commission is required to engage with local stakeholders in potential relocation sites and aims to transfer at least 100,000 federal employees outside the DC metropolitan area. The bill defines the DC metropolitan area specifically as the District of Columbia, certain counties in Maryland and Virginia, and excludes security-related agencies from the study. The goal appears to be decentralizing the federal workforce, potentially bringing government jobs and economic benefits to other regions of the country.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/353/all-info