§606. Approval of proposed projects by Congress

(a) Limitation of funds; transmission to Congress of prospectus of proposed project

In order to insure the equitable distribution of public buildings throughout the United States with due regard for the comparative urgency of need for such buildings, except as provided in section 603 of this title, no appropriation shall be made to construct, alter, purchase, or to acquire any building to be used as a public building which involves a total expenditure in excess of $1,500,000 if such construction, alteration, purchase, or acquisition has not been approved by resolutions adopted by the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives. No appropriations shall be made to lease any space at an average annual rental in excess of $1,500,000 for use for public purposes if such lease has not been approved by resolutions adopted by the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives. No appropriation shall be made to alter any building, or part thereof, which is under lease by the United States for use for a public purpose if the cost of such alteration would exceed $750,000 unless such alteration has been approved by resolutions adopted by the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives. For the purpose of securing consideration for such approval, the Administrator shall transmit to the Congress a prospectus of the proposed facility, including (but not limited to)-

(1) a brief description of the building to be constructed, altered, purchased, acquired, or the space to be leased under this chapter;

(2) the location of the building or space to be leased and an estimate of the maximum cost to the United States of the facility to be constructed, altered, purchased, acquired, or the space to be leased;

(3) a comprehensive plan for providing space for all Government officers and employees in the locality of the proposed facility or the space to be leased, having due regard for suitable space which may continue to be available in existing Government-owned or occupied buildings, especially such of those buildings as enhance the architectural, historical, social, cultural, and economic environment of the locality;

(4) with respect to any project for the construction, alteration, purchase, or acquisition of any building, a statement by the Administrator that suitable space owned by the Government is not available and that suitable rental space is not available at a price commensurate with that to be afforded through the proposed action;

(5) a statement by the Administrator of the economic and other justifications for not acquiring or purchasing a building or buildings identified to the Administrator pursuant to section 611(c) of this title as suitable for the public building needs of the Federal Government; and

(6) a statement of rents and other housing costs currently being paid by the Government for Federal agencies to be housed in the building to be constructed, altered, purchased, acquired, or the space to be leased.

(b) Increase of estimated maximum cost

The estimated maximum cost of any project approved under this section as set forth in any prospectus may be increased by an amount equal to the percentage increase, if any, as determined by the Administrator, in construction, or alteration costs, as the case may be, from the date of transmittal of such prospectus to Congress, but in no event shall the increase authorized by this subsection exceed 10 per centum of such estimated maximum cost.

(c) Rescission of approval for failure to make appropriations for project

In the case of any project approved for construction, alteration, or acquisition by the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives, in accordance with subsection (a) of this section, for which an appropriation has not been made within one year after the date of such approval, either of those Committees may rescind, by resolution, its approval of such project at any time thereafter before such an appropriation has been made.

(d) Emergency leases by the Administrator

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the Administrator from entering into emergency leases during any period declared by the President to require such emergency leasing authority, except that no such emergency lease shall be for a period of more than 180 days without approval of a prospectus for such lease in accordance with subsection (a) of this section.

(e) Limitation on leasing certain space

(1) General rule

The Administrator may not lease any space to accommodate-

(A) computer and telecommunications operations;

(B) secure or sensitive activities related to the national defense or security, except in any case in which it would be inappropriate to locate such activities in a public building or other facility identified with the United States Government; or

(C) a permanent courtroom, judicial chamber, or administrative office for any United States court;

if the average rental cost of leasing such space would exceed $1,500,000.

(2) Exception

The Administrator may lease any space with respect to which paragraph (1) applies if the Administrator first determines, for reasons set forth in writing, that leasing such space is necessary to meet requirements which cannot be met in public buildings and submits such reasons to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives.

(f) Dollar amount adjustment

Any dollar amount referred to in this section and section 603(b) of this title may be adjusted by the Administrator annually to reflect a percentage increase or decrease in construction costs during the preceding calendar year, as determined by the composite index of construction costs of the Department of Commerce. Any such adjustment shall be expeditiously reported to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives.

( Pub. L. 86–249, §7, Sept. 9, 1959, 73 Stat. 480 ; Pub. L. 92–313, §2(4), June 16, 1972, 86 Stat. 217 ; Pub. L. 94–541, title I, §103(1), (2), Oct. 18, 1976, 90 Stat. 2505 ; Pub. L. 100–678, §§2–4, Nov. 17, 1988, 102 Stat. 4049 , 4050; Pub. L. 103–437, §14(b)(1), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4590 .)

Amendments

1994-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–437, §14(b)(1)(A), in introductory provisions, substituted "Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives" for "Committee on Public Works of the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively" in two places.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–437, §14(b)(1)(B), substituted "Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives" for " Committees on Public Works of the Senate and of the House of Representatives, respectively," and "of those Committees" for "the Committee on Public Works of the Senate or the Committee on Public Works of the House of Representatives,".

1988-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–678, §§2, 3(a), substituted "$1,500,000" for "$500,000" in two places and inserted after second sentence "No appropriation shall be made to alter any building, or part thereof, which is under lease by the United States for use for a public purpose if the cost of such alteration would exceed $750,000 unless such alteration has been approved by resolutions adopted by the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives."

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 100–678, §3(b), added subsec. (e).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 100–678, §4, added subsec. (f).

1976-Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 94–541, §103(1), required the comprehensive plan to have due regard for suitable space available in existing Government-owned or occupied buildings "especially such of those buildings as enhance the architectural, historical, social, cultural, and economic environment of the locality".

Subsec. (a)(5), (6). Pub. L. 94–541, §103(2), added cl. (5) and redesignated former cl. (5) as (6).

1972-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 92–313 inserted provisions relating to purchase of any building to be used as a public building and lease of any space for use for public purposes, increased from $100,000 for construction and acquisition and from $200,000 for alteration to $500,000 as the maximum appropriation authorized to be made for the construction, alteration, purchase, and acquisition of any building without specified approval pursuant to resolutions adopted by the Committees on Public Works of the Senate and House of Representatives, and expanded required contents of prospectus transmitted by the Administrator to the Congress.

Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 92–313 reenacted provisions without change.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 92–313 substituted provisions authorizing the Administrator to enter into emergency leases in accordance with the specified conditions for provisions setting forth restrictions on the approval of new projects.

Change of Name

Committee on Public Works and Transportation of House of Representatives treated as referring to Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of House of Representatives by section 1(a) of Pub. L. 104–14, set out as a note preceding section 21 of Title 2, The Congress.

Effective Date of 1972 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 92–313 effective June 16, 1972, see section 11 of Pub. L. 92–313, set out as a note under section 603 of this title.

Issuance of Regulations Pursuant to Public Buildings Amendments of 1972; Approval of Rates for Space and Services Furnished

Administrator to issue and coordinate regulations with office of Management and Budget and Director of such Office to approve rates for space and services furnished, see section 7 of Pub. L. 92–313, set out as a note under section 603 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 602a, 603, 605, 610, 611 of this title; title 31 section 781; title 42 section 8287c.