Sen. Joni Ernst, a prominent Republican Senator from Iowa, has introduced new legislation targeting six underutilized federal buildings in Washington, D.C., for potential sale. The proposed Disposing of Inactive Structures and Properties by Offering for Sale And Lease (DISPOSAL) Act aims to streamline the process of selling these properties, which are currently home to various federal agencies. The legislation is part of Ernst’s broader effort to curb federal spending and reduce bureaucracy, a cause she has championed through her role as founder and chair of the Senate Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus.
The DISPOSAL Act includes provisions for the sale of the Frances Perkins Federal Building, which houses the Department of Labor; the James V. Forrestal Building for the Department of Energy; the Theodore Roosevelt Federal Building, home to the Office of Personnel Management; the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, which previously hosted the Department of Housing and Urban Development; the Department of Agriculture’s South Building; and the Hubert H. Humphrey Federal Building, headquarters of Health and Human Services. These buildings have become symbols of underutilization, with many of them having been mostly vacant due to federal employees working remotely since the pandemic. The legislation seeks to address this by mandating that the General Services Administration (GSA) facilitate the sale of these properties, aiming to generate significant revenue and save taxpayer money.
Ernst’s efforts are part of a larger campaign to reduce the size of the federal government and cut down on unnecessary expenses, which has been a hallmark of the Trump administration. The DOGE Caucus has been instrumental in highlighting the inefficiencies within the federal bureaucracy, particularly in the wake of the 2023 pandemic-related shutdowns, when many federal employees worked from home. The legislation also reflects the Trump administration’s focus on removing unaccountable bureaucrats and streamlining government operations, a stance that has been echoed by President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the inefficiencies and wasteful spending within federal agencies. The sale of the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building, which housed the Voice of America, is a recent success in this initiative, with the building’s sale generating significant revenue while also addressing the issue of underutilized government property.
The potential financial impact of the legislation is substantial, with the GSA reporting that the annual cost of operating underutilized federal buildings is approximately $81.346 million, while deferred maintenance and repair backlogs exceed $6 billion and are projected to reach over $20 billion within five years. The DISPOSAL Act aims to resolve these issues by not only facilitating the sale of these properties but also by creating a mechanism for the sale of up to 20 additional federal buildings each year. This could lead to a significant infusion of revenue for the federal government while also allowing for the modernization and repurposing of these underutilized assets. The legislation has garnered attention as it aligns with the broader political narrative of reducing government waste and inefficiency, which has been a key theme of the Trump administration’s policies and has resonated with many conservative lawmakers and constituents.