The Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management will come to order. I ask unanimous consent that the chairman be authorized to declare a recess at any time during today's hearing. Without objection, so ordered. I also ask unanimous consent that members not on the subcommittee be permitted to sit with the subcommittee at today's hearing and ask questions. Without objection, so ordered. As a reminder, if members wish to insert a document into the record, please also email it to documentsti@mail.house.gov. I now recognize myself for the purpose of an opening statement for five minutes. I'd like to thank our witness for being here today as we examine the management of federal real estate and how we can reduce costs to the taxpayer. In December, this subcommittee held a hearing on federal real estate to discuss how we could minimize costs and maximize value for the American taxpayer. Since that hearing, GSA Administrator Ed Forst was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in. Today is an opportunity for the subcommittee to hear from the administrator on GSA's plans and priorities for managing its real estate portfolio. Last Congress, significant public building reforms were enacted as part of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024. Those reforms included new requirements and limitations on federal agencies when it comes to their use of space. For example, the USE IT Act and the FULL Act included in WRDA 2024 are intended to hold agencies accountable for their space usage and set a requirement that if agencies do not actually have people physically coming in every day using at least 60 percent of their space, they will lose it. It also includes requirements that GSA and other federal agencies report to Congress and the public on the cost associated with unused space and that the Office of Management and Budget submit to Congress a plan to consolidate headquarters buildings in the D.C. area. As expressed at the last hearing, we are extremely concerned that key deadlines have been missed. I understand OMB is a key player here, especially in ensuring all agencies, including those who have real estate authorities outside of GSA, are in compliance. But without that data, critical time is being lost. That is why on February 13, full committee Chairman Sam Graves and subcommittee Chairman Perry sent a letter to OMB and GSA requesting a briefing to update the committee on compliance with the new requirements. Getting these bipartisan reforms across the finish line under the previous administration was not easy, and they represent the most significant checks on federal real estate costs in decades. The reforms also give you, as GSA administrator, significant leverage over agencies that are resistant to letting go of unneeded space. That is why effective implementation of the reform is so critical. With that said, we are pleased with some of the progress that GSA has made so far in consolidating agencies and getting rid of excess space, including moving HUD out of the Weaver Building, preparing to move USDA out of the Agriculture South Building and DOE out of the Forrestal Building. Decisions like these are going to help reduce the massive deferred maintenance liability that has accrued, which currently has a price tag that ranges anywhere from $26 billion to $340 billion, depending on which report that you read. I don't think the American taxpayer or even the federal agencies themselves understand how much of a financial liability federal real estate has become. There is no excuse for agencies to hold on to space just in case or hold on to a building because they've always been there. With limited funding to properly maintain and operate federal buildings, the deferred maintenance has grown significantly, and that's just to keep the lights on and doesn't account for renovations needed to make them functional for the long term. That is why GSA's work on identifying core assets we may want to keep and non-core assets that should be disposed of is important. Finally, there are other key topics I hope to hear more on, including the reorganization of the Public Buildings Service as well as plans to divest from the heating operations and transmission division, which services steam and chilled water for 62 federal and D.C. federal and D.C. buildings here in the core of the city. With that, I look forward to hearing from our witness. I now recognize Ranking Member Stanton for five minutes for an opening statement.
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Similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollitia animi id est laborum et dolorum fuga. Et harum quidem rerum facilis est et expedita distinctio nam libero tempore cum soluta nobis est eligendi optio cumque nihil impedit quo minus id quod maxime placeat facere possimus omnis voluptas assumenda est omnis dolor repellendus. Temporibus autem quibusdam et aut officiis debitis aut rerum necessitatibus saepe eveniet ut et voluptates repudiandae sint et molestiae non recusandae. Itaque earum rerum hic tenetur a sapiente delectus ut aut reiciendis voluptatibus maiores alias consequatur aut perferendis doloribus asperiores repellat. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet. At vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores et quas molestias excepturi sint occaecati cupiditate non provident. Similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollitia animi id est laborum et dolorum fuga. Et harum quidem rerum facilis est et expedita distinctio nam libero tempore cum soluta nobis est eligendi optio cumque nihil impedit quo minus id quod maxime placeat facere possimus omnis voluptas assumenda est omnis dolor repellendus. Temporibus autem quibusdam et aut officiis debitis aut rerum necessitatibus saepe eveniet ut et voluptates repudiandae sint et molestiae non recusandae. Itaque earum rerum hic tenetur a sapiente delectus ut aut reiciendis voluptatibus maiores alias consequatur aut perferendis doloribus asperiores repellat. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet. At vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores et quas molestias excepturi sint occaecati cupiditate non provident. Similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollitia animi id est laborum et dolorum fuga. Et harum quidem rerum facilis est et expedita distinctio nam libero tempore cum soluta nobis est eligendi optio cumque nihil impedit quo minus id quod maxime placeat facere possimus omnis voluptas assumenda est omnis dolor repellendus. 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Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet. At vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores et quas molestias excepturi sint occaecati cupiditate non provident. Similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollitia animi id est laborum et dolorum fuga. Et harum quidem rerum facilis est et expedita distinctio nam libero tempore cum soluta nobis est eligendi optio cumque nihil impedit quo minus id quod maxime placeat facere possimus omnis voluptas assumenda est omnis dolor repellendus. Temporibus autem quibusdam et aut officiis debitis aut rerum necessitatibus saepe eveniet ut et voluptates repudiandae sint et molestiae non recusandae. 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