A bill to establish a pilot program for the expedited disposal of Federal real property.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on November 14, 2007, at 10:30 a.m., in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``Shareholder Rights and Proxy Access.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on November 14, 2007, at 2 p.m., in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``Sovereign Wealth Fund Acquisitions and Other Foreign Government Investments in the U.S.: Assessing the Economic and National Security Implications.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, at 10 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building, in order to conduct a hearing.

The hearing will focus on the need to improve the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which is responsible for coordinating and directing Federal climate change research. It will also address the need for improved communication of climate information to decision makers.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, at 10 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, in order to conduct a hearing.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership as it relates to U.S. policy on nuclear fuel management.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

committee on homeland security and governmental affairs

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, at 10 a.m. in order to conduct a business meeting to consider pending committee business.

Agenda

Legislation

S. 2324, Inspector General Reform Act of 2007; S. 2292, National Bombing Prevention Act of 2007; S. 1667, a bill to establish a pilot program for the expedited disposal of Federal real property; S. 1000, Telework Enhancement Act of 2007; S. 2321, E-Government Reauthorization Act of 2007; H.R. 390, Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act; and H.R. 3571, a bill to amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to permit individuals who have served as employees of the Office of Compliance to serve as Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, or General Counsel of the Office, and to permit individuals appointed to such positions to serve one additional term.

Nominations

Robert D. Jamison, Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Wiley Ross Ashley III, Assistant

Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and the Honorable Ellen C. Williams, Member, Postal Board of Governors.

Postal Naming Bills

S. 2174, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 175 South Monroe Street in Tiffin, Ohio, as the ``Paul E. Gillmor Post Office Building;'' H.R. 2089, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 701 Loyola Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana, as the ``Louisiana Armed Services Veterans Post Office;'' H.R. 3297, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 950 West Trenton Avenue in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, as the ``Nate DeTample Post Office Building;'' H.R. 3308, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 216 East Main Street in Atwood, Indiana, as the ``Lance Corporal David K. Fribley Post Office;'' H.R. 3530, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1400 Highway 41 North in Inverness, Florida, as the ``Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver Post Office Building;'' H.R. 2276, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 203 North Main Street in Vassar, Michigan, as the ``Corporal Christopher E. Esckelson Post Office Building;'' H.R. 3325, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 235 Mountain Road in Suffield, Connecticut, as the ``Corporal Stephen R. Bixler Post Office;'' S. 2110, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 427 North Street in Taft, California, as the ``Larry S. Pierce Post Office;'' H.R. 3382, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 200 North William Street in Goldsboro, North Carolina, as the ``Philip A. Baddour Sr. Post Office;'' S. 2290, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 16731 Santa Ana Avenue in Fontana, California, as the ``Beatrice E. Watson Post Office Building;'' S. 2272, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service known as the Southpark Station in Alexandria, Louisiana, as the ``John `Marty' Thiels Southpark Station;'' H.R. 3446, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 202 East Michigan Avenue in Marshall, Michigan, as the ``Michael W. Schragg Post Office Building;'' S. 2150/H.R. 3572, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4320 Blue Parkway in Kansas City, Missouri, as the ``Wallace S. Hartsfield Post Office Building;'' S. 2107/H.R. 3307, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 570 Broadway in Bayonne, New Jersey, as the ``Dennis P. Collins Post Office Building;'' H.R. 3518, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1430 South Highway 29 in Cantonment, Florida, as the ``Charles H. Hendrix Post Office Building.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, in order to conduct a markup of pending legislation. Immediately following the conclusion of the markup, the Committee will conduct a hearing on the nomination of Michael W. Hager, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Human Resources and Management. The committee will meet in room SD-562 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, at 2:30 p.m., in order to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Medicaid Providers That Cheat on Their Taxes and What Can Be Done About It.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, be authorized to meet in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``No Safe Haven: Accountability for Human Rights Violators in the United States'' on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, at 10 a.m. in room SD-266 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Witness list

Panel I: Sigal P. Mandelker, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, and Marcy M. Forman, Director of Office of Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington,

Madam Speaker, I stand in support of H.R. 7217, the Federal Real Property Disposal Enhancement Act. H.R. 7217 is the byproduct of bipartisan bicameral collaboration and I want to congratulate Representatives Moore and Duncan for their commitment to federal real property reform. I also want to acknowledge Senators Carper and Coburn for their dedication also. I must also recognize the hard work and efforts of Ranking Member Davis.

What we have before us is a sensible bill which will help move surplus real property out of the federal inventory. The bill allows the General Services Administration (GSA) to help pay the costs of other agencies' disposal activities. In particular, GSA will be able to help agencies pay costs with regard to properties that have yet to be declared excess. These costs include environmental cleanup, demolition, surveying, and life cycle costing.

In addition, this bill modifies existing law to make clear that when a property has been transferred to a nonprofit organization or a state or local government for a public purpose, and that public purpose is no longer being met, the property must revert to the Federal Government, which must dispose of it.

The bill also allows all agencies to retain the proceeds from the sale of federal surplus properties. These proceeds will be used for disposal activities and also may be used for maintenance and repairs.

Moreover, the bill includes a pilot program, under which agencies can, for certain properties scheduled for demolition, avoid the quarterly suitability canvas performed by Housing and Urban Development (HUD), allowing agencies to try and dispose of such properties on an accelerated timeframe.

Furthermore, this bill ensures strong data collection and reporting so the Federal Government can keep track of the real property in its inventory. Madam Speaker, passage of this bill, a work in progress for over six years, will make federal real property reform a reality. I urge passage.

Attached is an exchange of letters regarding jurisdiction.

House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure,

Washington, DC, September 29, 2008.

Hon. Henry A. Waxman,

Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House

of Representatives, 2157 Rayburn House Office Building,

Washington, DC

Dear Chairman Waxman: I write to you regarding H.R. 7217, a

bill to amend title 40, United States Code, to enhance

authorities with regard to real property that has yet to be

reported excess, and for other purposes. This bill is the

product of negotiations between the House and Senate on

provisions contained in H.R. 5787, the ``Federal Real

Property Disposal Enhancement Act of 2008'', and S. 1667, a

bill to establish a pilot program for the expedited disposal

of Federal real property.

H.R. 7217 contains provisions that fall within the

jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure. I recognize and appreciate your desire to

bring this legislation before the House in an expeditious

manner and, accordingly, I will not seek a sequential

referral of the bill. However, I agree to waive consideration

of this bill with the mutual understanding that my decision

to forego a sequential referral of the bill does not waive,

reduce, or otherwise affect the jurisdiction of the Committee

on Transportation and Infrastructure over this legislation.

Please place a copy of this letter and your response

acknowledging the Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure's jurisdictional interest in the Congressional

Record during consideration of the measure on the House

Floor.

I look forward to working with you as we prepare to pass

this important legislation.

Sincerely,

James L. Oberstar, M.C.,

Chairman.

House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and

Government Reform,

Washington, DC, September 29, 2008.

Hon. James Oberstar,

Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,

House of Representatives, 2165 Rayburn House Office

Building, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Oberstar: I write to you regarding H.R. 7217,

a bill to amend title 40, United States Code, to enhance

authorities with regard to real property that has yet to be

reported excess, and for other purposes. This bill is the

product of negotiations between the House and Senate on

provisions contained in H.R. 5787, the ``Federal Real

Property Disposal Enhancement Act of 2008'', and S. 1677, a

bill to establish a pilot program for the expedited disposal

of Federal real property.

I agree that provisions in H.R. 7217 are of jurisdictional

interest to the Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure. I appreciate your willingness to waive rights

to further consideration of H.R. 7217, and I acknowledge that

through this waiver, your Committee is not relinquishing its

jurisdiction over the relevant provisions of H.R. 7217.

This exchange of letters will be placed in the

Congressional Record as part of the consideration of H.R.

7217 in the House.

I thank you for working with me to pass this important

legislation.

Sincerely,

Henry A. Waxman,

Chairman.

Madam Speaker, for several Congresses, proposals have been introduced to address real property management issues within the Federal Government, but have failed to become law. Today, however, I am pleased to be part of the bipartisan effort that we are discussing, the Federal Real Property Disposal Act, and am hopeful that this bill will be able to clean up the federal real property inventory.

I would like to thank Representative Moore, Chairman Waxman and Senators Carper and Coburn for their work on this important issue. With all the talk of spending, this bill has the opportunity to bring about great savings for the American taxpayer.

The Government Accountability Office has listed federal real property as one of its high risk issues since 2003 due to incomplete data and the numbers of excess properties and aging facilities.

In 2004, President Bush issued an Executive Order to improve the management of federal real property. Since then $7 billion worth of unneeded assets and properties have been removed from the government inventory.

The Federal Government has a goal of disposing of $9 billion in unneeded real property by the end of fiscal year 2009. Jim Nussle, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, sent me a letter last year endorsing a bill I introduced in the House and that Senators Tom Carper and Tom Coburn introduced in the Senate.

Director Nussle wrote: ``To reach this objective, I believe we must improve and streamline the current process that Federal agencies face in disposing of real property assets.''

Some people never want the government to sell any property, and government at all levels continues to acquire more and more every year. But if we keep shrinking the tax base, schools and other agencies will have a much harder time in the future getting increases in their funding.

In June of 2007, the Office of Management and Budget reported that the Federal Government owned over 21,000 excess properties and assets with a total replacement value of nearly $18 billion. That is more than the gross domestic product of over half the countries in the world.

The bill that we are taking up today builds on a proposal that overwhelmingly passed the House earlier this year.

Under the Federal Real Property Disposal Enhancement Act, an agency would be able to retain a portion of the proceeds from a sale of a property deemed excess. This will provide agencies an incentive to get rid of unneeded properties and allow them to use the proceeds to maintain current property or prepare excess property for disposal.

The reporting requirements in H.R. 7217 will provide what I believe will be very useful and valuable information, not only on the numbers and values of Federal properties, but on the costs of maintaining properties, like utilities, repairs, and janitorial services.

Agencies spend well over $100 million dollars a year on the maintenance and upkeep of properties that are not even being used. H.R. 7217 will help agencies reduce these unnecessary costs.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I believe that H.R. 7217 gives additional resources to those agencies that might not otherwise be able to prepare and dispose of properties the ability to reap the benefits and apply them toward mission-critical properties. It also saves hard-earned taxpayer dollars that could definitely be used more appropriately.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 7217) to amend title 40, United States Code, to enhance authorities with regard to real property that has yet to be reported excess, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.