Norton Says Today’s Early Lease Approvals are Good for the D.C. Economy

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, which has jurisdiction over most federal construction and leases, said that the subcommittee was off to a good, fresh start today as the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee marked up 15 federal leases in the Washington, D.C. region, including six in the city. The six D.C. leases range in length from five to 15 years and have a value of $500 million. The new leases not only save federal dollars, they guarantee that these agencies will remain in D.C., where the agencies and their employees will spend money.

"Today's early markup of leases was a welcome departure from last Congress, when a long backlog of overdue leases left federal taxpayers paying the price for overdue leases plus penalties, and left building owners with unnecessary anxiety because they could neither renegotiate their leases with agencies or prepare their buildings for new tenants," said Norton.

Norton has already met and begun working with the new subcommittee chair, Lou Barletta (R-PA), whose interest and experience in emergency management, economic development and construction parallel her own committee priorities.

Norton also noted that building improvements and modifications may need to be made to office space here to accommodate the space reductions and consolidations, which could yield jobs for D.C. residents.

Published: February 28, 2013