Norton Criticizes Johnson Bill Designed to Move Federal Agency Headquarters Out of National Capital Region

Statement

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) criticized a bill introduced by Congressman Bill Johnson (R-OH) that would prohibit, with limited exceptions, new construction, major renovations, and new or renewed leases for the headquarters of any federal agency that is located in the National Capital Region (NCR). The bill is intended to move federal agency headquarters out of the NCR.

"We can have a discussion on ways to make government work better for the American people, but harmful bills introduced for cheap talking points should not be part of that discussion," Norton said. "According to the Office of Personnel Management, 85 percent of federal employees work outside of the District of Columbia metro area. Hundreds of federal employees and their families have already been impacted by attempts to relocate agencies, which directly hurts their operations. Congress cannot do its job without the unvarnished facts and briefings that nonpartisan agencies give the House and Senate almost daily. I will continue to fight these relocations with every tool at my disposal.

"These bills are not about saving taxpayer money or "draining the swamp' -- they are solely about generating inaccurate talking points. And I will promise you this: this harmful bill will go nowhere in the House."

Norton has introduced a bill that would prohibit the relocation of any federal agency headquarters out of the NCR without congressional approval.

The Johnson bill is the third bill introduced this Congress to move federal agencies out of the NCR. Last year, Congressman Warren Davidson (R-OH) introduced a bill that would require all federal agencies to move their headquarters out of the D.C. area and to only have 10 percent of their employees in the D.C. area by 2026. Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX) introduced a bill that would prohibit the federal government from entering into a contract to construct a new federal building, including one built to be leased by the federal government, in D.C. for two years.

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