[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7714 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7714
To amend title 40, United States Code, to establish requirements for
outleasing certain Federal buildings, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 10, 2022
Ms. Titus (for herself and Mr. DeFazio) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 40, United States Code, to establish requirements for
outleasing certain Federal buildings, and for other purposes.
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 ``Outlease Reform in Public Buildings
Act'' or the ``OUR Public Buildings Act''.
SEC. 2. OUTLEASING FEDERAL BUILDINGS.
(a) In General.--Subchapter V of chapter 5 of title 40, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 594. Outlease of Federal buildings
``(a) Requirements.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this section, the Administrator of General
Services shall develop and require the use of standard clauses
to use in covered outlease agreements.
``(2) Contents.--The covered outlease agreements shall
contain a provision authorizing the Administrator and the
inspector general of the General Services Administration to
audit the covered outlease.
``(b) Conditions on Covered Outleases.--Any covered outlease
agreement entered into by the Administrator shall require the lessee to
submit a form disclosing any foreign ownership interest in such covered
outlease.
``(c) Prohibition on Certain Outleases.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator may not enter into a
covered outlease with the President of the United States, the
Vice President of the United States, the head of an Executive
agency, or a Member of Congress.
``(2) Certification of covered outlease.--The Administrator
may only sign a covered outlease agreement if the Office of
General Counsel of the General Services Administration has
certified in writing that the lessor is not the President of
the United States, the Vice President of the United States, the
head of an Executive agency, or a Member of Congress.
``(d) Congressional Review.--
``(1) In general.--Before a covered outlease takes effect,
the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives, the Committee on Environment and Public Works
of the Senate, and Congress a copy of such covered outlease.
``(2) Effective date of outlease.--A covered outlease
submitted under paragraph (1) shall take effect on the latest
of--
``(A) the date that is 180 days after the date on
which a copy of a covered outlease is submitted under
paragraph (1); or
``(B) if the Congress passes a joint resolution of
disapproval described in paragraph (4) relating to the
covered outlease, and the President signs a veto of
such resolution, the earlier date--
``(i) on which either House of Congress
votes and fails to override the veto of the
President; or
``(ii) occurring 30 session days after the
date on which the Congress received the veto
and objections of the President.
``(3) Congressional rejection of outlease.--Notwithstanding
paragraph (2), a covered outlease submitted under paragraph (1)
shall not take effect if Congress enacts a joint resolution of
disapproval of the covered outlease pursuant to paragraph (4)
and such joint resolution is signed by the President.
``(4) Disapproval resolution.--
``(A) In general.--For purposes of this subsection,
the term `joint resolution' means only a joint
resolution introduced in the period beginning on the
date on which a covered outlease described in paragraph
(1) is received by the Committees described in such
paragraph and Congress and ending 60 days thereafter
(excluding days either House of Congress is adjourned
for more than 3 days during a session of Congress), the
matter after the resolving clause of which is as
follows: `That Congress disapproves the outlease
submitted by the Administrator of General Services
relating to the outlease of ____, and such outlease
shall have no effect.' (The blank spaces being
appropriately filled in).
``(B) Referral of joint resolution.--A joint
resolution described in subparagraph (A) shall be
referred to the committees in each House of Congress
with jurisdiction.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Beneficial owner.--The term `beneficial owner' means
each natural person who, directly or indirectly, through any
contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or
otherwise--
``(A) exercises control over the building for which
a covered outlease is entered into under this section;
or
``(B) has a substantial interest in or receives
substantial economic benefits from the such building.
``(2) Executive agency.--The term `Executive agency' has
the meaning given the term in section 101 of title 5, United
States Code.
``(3) Member of congress.--The term `Member of Congress'
means a Member of the Senate or House of Representatives, a
Delegate to the House of Representatives, and the Resident
Commissioner from Puerto Rico.
``(4) Covered outlease.--The term `covered outlease' means
a lease that--
``(A) is for a public building that is at least
150,000 gross square feet;
``(B) is entered into by the Administrator of
General Services and a private entity;
``(C) for which the leased space totals at least 51
percent of the usable square feet of the building; and
``(D) for which the term of the lease, including
options, is in excess of 5 years.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 5 of title 40,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to
section 593 the following new item:
``594. Outlease of Federal buildings.''.
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