Sponsors
The bill aims to reduce waste and improve coordination by defining space metrics, increasing occupancy, and forcing disposal of underused properties — potentially saving taxpayer dollars and improving services — but does so at the cost of reduced telework flexibility, upfront agency and community disruptions and costs, and risks to local economic and cultural assets.
Taxpayers, federal agencies, and local governments: consolidating underused federal space, increasing office occupancy, and requiring disposal of noncompliant properties could preserve building value and reduce long‑term leasing and property costs.
Federal agencies and employees: clearer statutory definitions (including delegation to the GSA Administrator for 'usable square feet') simplify implementation and reduce legal ambiguity across agencies.
Taxpayers and the public: higher and more consistent in‑person staffing could improve interoffice coordination and public service delivery in some agencies.
Federal employees: mandated return to in‑person work and occupancy targets will reduce telework flexibility, likely lengthen commutes for many, and could worsen recruitment and retention.
Taxpayers and agencies: meeting occupancy goals and disposing or remediating buildings can require substantial upfront costs (relocations, retrofits, remediation, travel reimbursements, contract penalties) even if savings accrue later.
Local governments, communities, and businesses: forced sales or lease terminations risk reducing federal presence in communities, harming local economic activity and cultural/heritage uses of 'flagship' properties.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Introduced January 15, 2025 by John Neely Kennedy · Last progress January 15, 2025
Requires federal agencies to require most employees to work in person Monday through Friday and to occupy a higher share of federal office space. Agencies must update policies within 120 days, certify that at least 80% of employees work in‑office and that 60% of usable office space is occupied, or submit plans and face disposal or nonrenewal of underused buildings and leases. The bill also directs OPM and GSA to certify occupancy, requires a GAO report on implementation, and forces owned property sales or lease terminations when agencies fail to meet deadlines or certification requirements.
Mandates 80% in‑office work and 60% office space occupancy for federal agencies, with plans or property disposal required for noncompliance.