Norton, Perry Bill to Direct GSA to Sell the Webster School Passes House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that her bill, co-led by Congressman Scott Perry (R-PA), to direct the General Services Administration (GSA) to sell the Webster School in downtown D.C. for fair market value passed the House today by voice vote. The legislation would return the long-vacant Webster School building to productive use and was marked up by the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee in July.

“I am pleased my bill to direct GSA to sell the Webster School, which has been vacant since the 1980s and has fallen into disrepair, passed the House today,” said Norton. “During my service in Congress, I have enacted bipartisan bills to transfer unused or underused federal land in D.C. to the D.C. government or the private sector to redevelop neighborhoods and to generate tax revenue. This includes the Southeast and Southwest waterfronts. My hope is to see the Daniel Webster School similarly reactivated.”

Norton’s full floor statement follows.

Floor Consideration Statement – H.R. 4688 Webster School Building Disposal

December 4, 2023

This bill, which I introduced with Public Buildings Subcommittee Chair Scott Perry, would direct the General Services Administration to sell the federal property known as the Daniel Webster School in the District of Columbia for fair market value by December 31, 2025. 

Built in 1882, the Daniel Webster School, a red-brick, three-story building, has been used for a variety of purposes over the years.  However, since the 1980s, the building, which is located in downtown D.C., has been vacant and fallen into disrepair.  The General Services Administration purchased the Webster School 20 years ago, yet the school remains unoccupied, draining the General Services Administration’s resources for decades.  This bill would return the site to productive use. 

During my service in Congress, I have enacted bipartisan bills to transfer unused or underused federal land in D.C. to the D.C. government or the private sector to redevelop neighborhoods and to generate tax revenue.  This includes the Southeast and Southwest waterfronts.  My hope is to see the Daniel Webster School similarly reactivated.  The sale provision in this bill is the same as the sale provision in the bill enacted in 2016 that directed the General Services Administration to sell the federal property in D.C. known as the Cotton Annex, which is now being converted into housing.

I thank Chairman Perry for his partnership on this bill.  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.  I reserve the balance of my time.

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