[Pages H4564-H4566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HEADQUARTERS CONSOLIDATION
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2015

Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1640) to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit
to Congress a report on the Department of Homeland Security
headquarters consolidation project in the National Capital Region, and
for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 1640

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Homeland
Security Headquarters Consolidation Accountability Act of
2015''.

SEC. 2. REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
HEADQUARTERS CONSOLIDATION PROJECT.

(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, in coordination with the Administrator of General
Services, shall submit to the appropriate committees of
Congress a report on the Department of Homeland Security
headquarters consolidation project within the National
Capital Region. Such report shall include each of the
following:
(1) A proposed occupancy plan for the consolidation project
that includes specific information about which Department-
wide operations, component operations, and support offices
will be located at the site, the aggregate number of full
time equivalent employees projected to occupy the site, and
schedule estimates for migrating operations to the site.
(2) A comprehensive assessment of the current and future
real property needed by the

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Department in the National Capital Region in order to carry
out the mission of the Department to secure the homeland and
defend the Nation against future acts of terrorism.
(3) An analysis of the difference between the current and
needed capital assets and facilities of the Department.
(4) A current plan for construction of the headquarters
consolidation at the St. Elizabeths campus that includes--
(A) the estimated costs and schedule for the current plan;
and
(B) any estimated costs savings associated with reducing
the scope of the consolidation project and increasing the use
of existing capacity developed under the project.
(5) A current plan for the leased portfolio of the
Department in the National Capital Region that includes--
(A) the total rentable square feet, number of personnel,
and proposed utilization rates;
(B) the replacement and consolidation plan, including--
(i) an end-state vision that identifies which Department-
wide operations, component operations, and support offices do
not migrate to the St. Elizabeths campus and continue to
operate at a property in the leased portfolio;
(ii) the number of full time equivalent employees who are
expected to operate at each property, component, or office;
and
(iii) timing and anticipated leased terms, for leased space
under the plan referred to in paragraph (4); and
(C) the costs and benefits of leasing and construction
alternatives for the headquarters consolidation project.
(6) A detailed list of alternatives considered by the
Department during the development of the plan referred to in
paragraph (4), including the costs and benefits of
alternatives to such plan.
(b) Update of Cost and Schedule Estimates.--Not later than
180 days after date of the submittal of the report required
by subsection (a), the Secretary, in coordination with the
Administrator of General Services, shall complete the update
of the cost and schedule estimates for the portions of the
consolidation project that are not yet complete as of such
date based on the information contained in the report.
Consistent with the recommendation of the Government
Accountability Office in GAO-14-648, such estimates shall
conform to relevant Federal guidance for cost and schedule
estimates.
(c) Comptroller General Review.--
(1) Review required.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall review the update of the cost and schedule
estimates under subsection (b) to evaluate the quality and
reliability of such estimates.
(2) Assessment.--Not later than 60 days after the
completion of the update of the cost and schedule estimates
under subsection (b), the Comptroller General shall report to
the appropriate congressional committees on the results of
the review required by paragraph (1).
(d) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) The term ``National Capital Region'' has the meaning
given such term under section 2674(f)(2) of title 10, United
States Code.
(2) The term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means
the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Environment and
Public Works of the Senate.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Walker) and the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs.
Watson Coleman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.

{time} 1615

General Leave

Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from North Carolina?
There was no objection.
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1640. Mr. Speaker,
since 2006, the Department of Homeland Security and the General
Services Administration have been working towards completing a
consolidated headquarters on the historic St. Elizabeths campus in
Washington, D.C.
However, as with many other Federal projects, the consolidation has
run up against cost overruns and construction delays, at times
estimated to be more than $1 billion over budget and 12 years behind
schedule.
Earlier this year, I visited the site personally to see firsthand the
progress being made and the immense challenges that lie ahead. I remain
concerned that taxpayers' dollars will be put at risk without better
management.
This bill, H.R. 1640, the DHS Headquarters Consolidation
Accountability Act of 2015, would require the Secretary of Homeland
Security, in coordination with the Administrator of General Services,
to investigate and submit a report on the estimated costs and property
needs of the project.
While we were encouraged by the updated DHS St. Elizabeths plans
published earlier this year, we still believe that increased oversight
of the consolidation project will help ensure accountability and the
efficient use of our constituents' taxpayer dollars.
Mr. Speaker, accountability is a fundamental aspect of citizen-ruled
government and something that our constituents expect their
representatives to uphold. H.R. 1640 does just this, and I look forward
to the bipartisan support this legislation will receive.
I reserve the balance of my time.

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of
Representatives,
Washington, DC, June 15, 2015.
Hon. Michael McCaul,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Ford House Office
Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman McCaul: I write concerning H.R. 1640, the
Department of Homeland Security Headquarters Consolidation
Accountably Act of 2015. This legislation includes matters
that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure.
In order to expedite floor consideration of H.R. 1640, the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will forgo
action on this bill. However, this is conditional on our
mutual understanding that forgoing consideration of the bill
does not prejudice the Committee with respect to the
appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional
claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or
similar legislation that fall within the Committee's Rule X
jurisdiction. I request you urge the Speaker to name members
of the Committee to any conference committee named to
consider such provisions.
Please place a copy of this letter and your response
acknowledging our jurisdictional interest into the
Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on
the house floor.
Sincerely,
Bill Shuster,
Chairman.
____

Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, June 17, 2015
Hon. Bill Shuster,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Shuster, Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R. 1640, the ``Department of Homeland Security Headquarters
Consolidation Accountability Act of 2015.'' I appreciate your
support in bringing this legislation before the House of
Representatives, and accordingly, understand that the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will not seek
a sequential referral on the bill.
The Committee on Homeland Security concurs with the mutual
understanding that by foregoing a sequential referral of this
bill at this time, the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure does not waive any jurisdiction over the
subject matter contained in this bill or similar legislation
in the future. In addition, should a conference on this bill
be necessary, I would support a request by the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure for conferees on those
provisions within your jurisdiction.
I will insert copies of this exchange in the Congressional
Record during consideration of this bill on the House floor.
I thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Sincerely,

Michael T. McCaul,

Chairman,
Committee on Homeland Security.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume, and I rise in strong support of H.R. 1640, the Department of
Homeland Security Headquarters Consolidation Accountability Act of
2015.
Mr. Speaker, in 2006, 3 years into the Department of Homeland
Security's existence, President Bush proposed consolidating the
headquarters functions of the Department and its components from the
more than 50 locations to the St. Elizabeths campus in southeast
Washington, D.C.
Construction began in 2009, but between sequestration and tightening
budgets, appropriations for the project have been $1.2 billion less
than President Bush and President Obama requested.
Naturally, Congress' failure to consistently and adequately fund the
project has greatly slowed construction and led to increased costs. It
has also forced DHS to revisit its master plan and reduce the scope of
the project.
At this juncture, it is important that the Department have a
realistic and

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achievable plan. The legislation under consideration seeks to do just
that. If enacted, this legislation would require the Secretary of
Homeland Security to submit to Congress an updated plan for St.
Elizabeths to inform future funding decisions.
Importantly, H.R. 1640 requires the submission of a proposed
occupancy plan for St. Elizabeths that includes a list of components
and offices to be housed there. A key consequence of the Department
having to scale down the breadth of its consolidation plans is the
reality that its portfolio of leased space will need to remain large.
In fact, with up to 69 percent of DHS' commercial leases in the
national capital region expiring between fiscal years 2016 to 2020, we
should all be aware that DHS will be forced to embark on the expensive
process of recompeting and possibly relocating its operations and
personnel.
Before I reserve the balance of my time, I would like to acknowledge
that I am pleased that the bill includes an amendment I offered to give
the Department adequate time to engage the General Services
Administration, the construction manager for the project, in preparing
the updated plans, assessments, and estimates.
GSA's participation in the development of these key materials is
essential to ensuring that what is transmitted to Congress is realistic
and achievable.
As a supporter of the St. Elizabeths project and DHS' Unity of Effort
initiative, I urge passage of H.R. 1640. Colocation of DHS' personnel
in one headquarters has the potential of not only achieving cost
savings, but fostering an environment where integration and
collaboration drives more effective and efficient operations.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
I appreciate the bipartisan approach taken on this legislation. The
St. Elizabeths project is about more than real estate; it is about
ensuring the Department of Homeland Security has a home where diverse
components can come together.
That is the thinking behind the Secretary's Unity of Effort
initiative. Enactment of this legislation will help to ensure that DHS
has a realistic plan for St. Elizabeths.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman McCaul and the gentleman
from North Carolina (Mr. Walker) for their work on this legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I, once again, urge my colleagues to support this strong bipartisan
piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland
Security Committee, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1640, the
``Department of Homeland Security Headquarters Consolidation
Accountability Act of 2015.''
I support this bipartisan legislation which directs the Secretary of
Homeland Security to submit to Congress a report on the Department of
Homeland Security headquarters consolidation project in the National
Capital Region.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the Homeland Security Committee
for unanimously supporting the inclusion of my amendments to H.R. 1640.
Together, the Jackson Lee amendments offered a comprehensive look at
the Department's real estate obligations related to its headquarters
consolidation project at St. Elizabeths, as well as its leased
portfolio in the National Capital Region.
Further, the Jackson Lee amendments help clarify how DHS will
relocate its personnel and operations at the headquarters level and
across its components at St. Elizabeths as construction continues on
the headquarters consolidation project.
Mr. Speaker, since DHS initiated its headquarters consolidation in
2006, it has progressed despite changes in senior leadership and waning
funding support from Congress.
As a result, in April 2015, DHS and GSA announced that the
construction sequence and timetable for the headquarters consolidation
would be adjusted to reflect reduced funding by Congress.
DHS must now re-compete up to 69 percent of its commercial leases in
the National Capital Region as they are scheduled to expire between
2016 and 2020.
My first amendment directs DHS to provide information related to the
expected timing and terms of any lease renewals in the National Capital
Region.
My second amendment requires the Department to report on the numbers
of its full-time equivalents who are expected to occupy each DHS-leased
or owned property, which will guide the Department in adjusting its
expenditures on the headquarters consolidation project.
Together, they will ensure that DHS and GSA develop a comprehensive
picture of which employees and operations will migrate to St.
Elizabeths and which will not.
I urge all of my colleagues to join me in strong support of the
suspension bill, H.R. 1640, the ``Department of Homeland Security
Headquarters Consolidation Accountability Act of 2015.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Walker) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1640, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________