September 13 ,2005: DAVIS AND NORTON INTRODUCE FEDERAL AND D.C. GOVERNMENT REAL PROPERTY ACT

Washington, D.C. – House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-VA) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) have introduced H.R. 3699, “The Federal and District of Columbia Government Real Property Act of 2005,” a bill to authorize the exchange of certain land parcels between the federal government and the District of Columbia. This proposal was submitted to Congress by the Administration with the strong support of the District.

Under this legislation, federal properties in D.C. that provide little value to the federal government or are an unnecessary maintenance burden would be transferred to the District, thereby freeing federal tax dollars to be spent in more productive areas. The bill applies to 30 properties owned by the District of Columbia, the Interior Department’s National Parks Service or the General Services Administration. Several of these properties are already under administrative control of the District.

Transferring these properties would allow both Interior and the GSA to better manage their properties and to preserve and protect public lands for future generations. The District gains the ability to build neighborhoods, develop more parks, enhance economic revitalization, and increase the local tax base.

“The District would gain control over properties that it can put to much better use than the federal government is currently doing, while transferring to the federal government properties that are better suited to federal control,” Chairman Davis said. “The District will be able to further develop the lands to increase the city’s tax base and decrease its financial dependence on the Federal government. This is a win for American taxpayers and it’s a win for D.C. residents.”

“This bill, like the Southeast Federal Center bill that is renewing a section of Southeast Washington, will help mitigate the District’s federally imposed structural imbalance by making long unused federal land available for revenue producing development. In addition, I will have a few amendments that I believe will further improve the bill’s great benefit to the city," Congresswoman Norton said.

H.R. 3699 will be among the pieces of legislation to be considered at a business meeting of the Government Reform Committee this Thursday.

The legislation would authorize the following transfers:

• National Park Service would transfer administrative jurisdiction of 7 parcels to the District of Columbia
• National Park Service would convey title of 9 properties to the District.
• The District would transfer administrative jurisdiction of 9 properties to NPS.
• The District would convey title of 2 properties to NPS.
• General Services Administration would convey title of 2 properties to the District.
• The District would convey title to GSA buildings located on the campus of St. Elizabeth’s.