On the recordJune 15, 2011
I rise in support of the amendment proposed by Mr. Gibson and Mr. Owens because I think it is exactly what the American people want us to do here in Washington. The people expect us to be responsible with their tax money. The people have made it clear, more than clear, that the Federal Government is too big. Our job is to look for waste, inefficiencies, and bloat. The Gibson-Owens amendment has found such bloat and seeks to remedy it. There is no doubt that the USDA does good work and that the agency should have suitable workspace to conduct its work. Indeed, as Mr. Gibson has pointed out, the USDA has 3 million square feet of prime office space on The National Mall in a beautiful building that contributes to the architectural beauty of the Nation's Capital. To learn that the USDA also has a campus in Maryland that occupies 45 acres of land is, itself, concerning. With all that office space currently available to the USDA in the Washington area and an additional $151 million to rent office space elsewhere, why does the USDA want to rent more office space in D.C.? The people of this country will not begrudge an architecturally distinguished office for the Nation's Capital, but a luxurious high- rent office in addition is too much. The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
