Sponsors (4)
The bill aims to move federal agencies out of the DC area to spur economic activity and potentially improve agency alignment and savings, but it risks disrupting federal workers' lives, harming the DC-area economy, and imposing upfront costs on taxpayers.
Communities outside the DC area (including local governments, small businesses, and rural communities) could gain jobs, contracting opportunities, and broader economic activity when federal agencies relocate.
Federal employees who move with their agencies may gain access to lower local costs of living and new relocation or career opportunities in lower-cost regions.
Relocating agencies and using telework history to screen candidates can improve operational alignment (placing agencies nearer relevant industries and tech infrastructure) and reduce disruption by favoring offices with proven remote-work capacity.
Federal employees and their families could face significant moving costs, family disruption, longer commutes, or the need to take different jobs if relocations are required.
The DC metropolitan area could lose tax revenue and consumer activity, harming local governments and small businesses that depend on federal workers' spending.
Large-scale relocations and transition planning could incur substantial federal setup and transition costs, increasing taxpayer spending without guaranteed long-term savings.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal commission to study and recommend relocating at least 100,000 non-security federal employees from the Washington, DC area and report to Congress within one year.
Introduced February 3, 2025 by Marsha Blackburn · Last progress February 3, 2025
Creates a federal commission to study moving non-security federal agencies out of the Washington, DC metro area and to deliver recommendations to Congress within one year. The commission, made up of senior federal officials, must evaluate financial, infrastructure, workforce, telework, and local factors and aim to prioritize relocating at least 100,000 covered-agency employees to other U.S. locations. The legislation sets membership and required evaluation criteria for the study but does not specify funding or mandate actual relocations; the President will identify which agencies are covered and the commission must consult local stakeholders in preparing its report.