Decentralizing and Reorganizing Agency Infrastructure Nation-wide To Harness Efficient Services, Workforce Administration, and Management Practices Act or the DRAIN THE SWAMP ActThis bill relocates 30% of employees of executive agencies who are based in the Washington, DC area and reduces the office headquarters of agencies by 30%. It also ends full-time telework for relocated employees and for those who remain based in the DC area.Under the bill, each agency must relocate at least 30% of full-time employees based at the agency’s headquarters, including full-time telework employees who receive DC-area locality pay (unless telework is an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act). The bill does not apply to certain essential employees in the Executive Office of the President, the Department of Defense, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Homeland Security.In determining the new duty stations, each agency must promote geographic diversity and ensure adequate staffing throughout the regions of the agency. Compensation for relocated employees must be according to the locality pay scale for their new duty station. Agencies must provide their reduction plans to Congress within 180 days and complete the relocations within one year after the bill's enactment.Further, the Office of Management and Budget must identify at least 30% of agency headquarters' office space (i.e., real property) to sell or to cease leasing. Agency heads must complete the space reduction within two years after the bill's enactment.
The proposed legislation has significant implications for federal employee management and operational structures within government agencies. By altering the permanent duty stations of a substantial portion of employees, agencies would be necessitated to reassess their staffing policies and logistical frameworks. Furthermore, the bill directly impacts salary calculations, mandating that employee pay rates reflect the locality of their new duty stations, which could lead to pay increases or decreases depending on the geographical region.
SB23, also known as the 'DRAIN THE SWAMP Act', mandates that at least 30% of employees at the headquarters of each Executive agency must be relocated to duty stations outside the Washington metropolitan area. The bill aims to decentralize agency operations and promote a more dispersed workforce across the country. By requiring this relocation, the bill is positioned as a means to improve accountability and service delivery while also addressing concerns about the concentration of government jobs and influence in the capital region.
Implementation of the act will require comprehensive reporting from agency heads, detailing the number of employees affected and the rationale behind their relocation. As part of the required management changes, agencies must also evaluate and reduce office space at headquarters by at least 30%, aligning with the overarching goal of organizational efficiency. The bill emphasizes the importance of ensuring that relocated employees engage in services that promote in-person customer engagement while enhancing operational efficacy.
Challenges associated with SB23 include potential pushback from government employees who may face relocation. Critics argue that the bill undermines the flexibility provided by current telework policies, especially for those who rely on remote work arrangements due to personal circumstances or disabilities. Additionally, the implementation timeline poses practical difficulties; agencies must adapt to this significant change within a stipulated one-year period, which some may view as unrealistic given the size and complexity of federal operations.
Government Operations and Politics