# The SWAMP Act: Moving Federal Agencies Out of Washington

This bill would require federal government agencies currently headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area to relocate to other parts of the country through a competitive bidding process. Essentially, cities and states across America would be able to compete to host these agency headquarters, similar to how communities bid to host the Olympics or major corporate offices.

Here's what would actually happen: Starting one year after the bill passes, the General Services Administration (the federal agency that manages government buildings and real estate) would set up a system where states and cities can submit proposals to become the new home for federal agencies. For example, a city in Ohio or Texas could bid to host the headquarters of an environmental agency or labor department. The proposals would be evaluated based on factors like economic impact, whether the area has relevant expertise for that agency's work, and national security concerns. The public would get to comment on these proposals before a final decision is made.

The bill specifically protects certain agencies from being moved—the Pentagon, CIA, State Department, and several intelligence agencies would stay in Washington for security reasons. However, dozens of other agencies like the EPA, Department of Commerce, or Department of Interior could potentially be relocated. The bill also freezes any new construction, major renovations, or lease renewals for agency headquarters currently in the Washington area, essentially forcing the relocation process forward.

The practical effect would be significant job movement and economic shifts. Thousands of federal employees would need to relocate, which could boost economies in winning cities but disrupt the Washington region. The bill doesn't provide extra money for this process—agencies would have to pay for moves using existing budgets or money from selling off federal buildings in Washington.

SWAMP Act

Johnson, Bill

Strategic Withdrawal of Agencies for Meaningful Placement Act of 2022 or the SWAMP Act This bill prohibits new construction or major renovation of certain executive agency headquarters in the District of Columbia metropolitan area and establishes a competitive bidding process for the relocation of such headquarters. The General Services Administration (GSA) must (1) establish a process to allow an executive agency to request the GSA to issue a solicitation for the relocation of its headquarters or allow the GSA to issue such a solicitation without a request, if necessary; (2) allow any state to respond to a solicitation with a proposal for the relocation of the agency's headquarters; and (3) in consultation with the executive agency, select a state for the relocation of the agency's headquarters using a competitive bidding procedure based on certain considerations.