Ranking Members Padilla, Morelle Secure Reversal on Damaging Plan to Close Federal Buildings With Congressional Offices
Padilla and Morelle: “We are relieved that GSA and DOGE have heeded our strong objections and reversed course”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and U.S. Representative Joe Morelle (N.Y.-25), Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, followed up on their March 7 letter to the General Services Administration (GSA), welcoming its abandonment of joint efforts with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cancel leases or sell federal buildings that host Congressional or other Legislative Branch offices. The Members continued to press GSA on their reckless efforts to close or sell off hundreds of other federal facilities at the direction of President Trump and Elon Musk and the indiscriminate firings of GSA Congressional support and regional management staff.
“Members of Congress utilize offices across the country to carry out their constitutional duties within their home states and districts,” wrote the lawmakers. “We reiterate that closing facilities that host Congressional offices and forcing them to relocate would directly interfere with Congress’s constitutional duties, pose significant security risks, and cause disruption to essential constituent services. We are relieved that GSA and DOGE have heeded our strong objections and reversed course.”
Trump’s GSA failed to respond to the lawmakers’ March 7 letter and still refuses to be transparent or accountable to Congressional oversight over these potential plans to cancel leases and sell off federally owned facilities.
“This lack of responsiveness to Congress is unacceptable. GSA is funded and overseen by Congress and is accountable to the American people and their duly elected representatives in Congress,” wrote the lawmakers. “A lack of transparency, combined with uncoordinated and chaotic policy announcements and execution, is the opposite of ‘government efficiency.’”
The lawmakers condemned the sweeping firings of GSA staff for entire regions and of GSA’s Congressional Support Program staff, who are critical to establish and maintain in-state Congressional offices. While the plans to sell off federally owned buildings in the Legislative Branch have been called off, these offices need a strong workforce to maintain essential operations.
“DOGE and GSA have continued their indiscriminate firing of GSA Congressional Support staff and regional building management staff, leaving dozens of federal buildings with Congressional tenants without adequate support,” continued the lawmakers. “DOGE and GSA should similarly reverse course on these untargeted and short-sighted staff reductions that risk disrupting congressional operations.”
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Acting Administrator Ehikian:
We write to follow up to our March 7 letter regarding the General Services Administration’s (GSA) ongoing efforts to cancel leases and sell off federally owned facilities in concert with the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). We remain particularly concerned with the unacceptable impacts that would result from the unilateral forced relocations of Congressional offices or other Legislative Branch agencies.
Unfortunately, GSA has failed to respond in a timely way. This lack of responsiveness to Congress is unacceptable. GSA is funded and overseen by Congress and is accountable to the American people and their duly elected representatives in Congress. A lack of transparency, combined with uncoordinated and chaotic policy announcements and execution, is the opposite of “government efficiency.”
Nevertheless, we are encouraged by reports and information that we have received through other channels that GSA has stopped its misguided plans to cancel leases or divest buildings that host Legislative Branch agencies and offices. We are also pleased that GSA and DOGE are no longer pursuing lease terminations or taking steps to divest buildings that host Members of Congress offices in their home states and districts. These reports were confirmed by GSA’s press release issued Friday afternoon on March 21 with a reduced list of buildings identified for divestment.
As noted in our March 7 letter, Members of Congress utilize offices across the country to carry out their constitutional duties within their home states and districts. We reiterate that closing facilities that host Congressional offices and forcing them to relocate would directly interfere with Congress’s constitutional duties, pose significant security risks, and cause disruption to essential constituent services. We are relieved that GSA and DOGE have heeded our strong objections and reversed course.
However, DOGE and GSA have continued their indiscriminate firing of GSA Congressional Support staff and regional building management staff, leaving dozens of federal buildings with Congressional tenants without adequate support. DOGE and GSA should similarly reverse course on these untargeted and short-sighted staff reductions that risk disrupting congressional operations.
We all share the stated goals of ensuring efficient use of federal office space and being responsible stewards of taxpayer funds. GSA should consult with Legislative Branch tenants and reach appropriate agreements that ensure safety, security, and avoid disrupting operations. If DOGE and GSA again consider unilaterally terminating leases or divesting buildings that host Congressional or other Legislative Branch offices, you should immediately notify Congressional leadership, the Senate and House Sergeants-at-Arms, the Senate Rules Committee, and the Committee on House Administration on a bipartisan basis.
Thank you for your continued attention to these important considerations when it comes to Legislative Branch use of GSA facilities.
Sincerely,
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