The chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Darrell Issa, R-Calif., has asked the Congressional Budget Office for an official estimate of the proposed Civilian Property Realignment Act.
He stated that the committee, which has some jurisdiction over policies affecting the disposal of federal property, supports a streamlined process to dispose of excess property, saying doing so is crucial to achieving a more efficient government.
Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., has introduced the proposal as HR-1734 to the House Transportation Committee. It states that the commission would be charged with finding ways to maximize the use of existing space, reduce the reliance on costly leased space, reduce redundancy and reduce energy consumption, among other goals.
Issa said basing the committee off of the BRAC commission is a good idea, noting that by OMB estimates the federal government has roughly 14,000 buildings and structures designated as excess, and approximately 55,000 properties classified as underutilized.