Young Introduces DRAIN Act to Relocate Federal Agencies Outside of Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) today introduced legislation that requires federal agencies to relocate their headquarters outside of Washington, D.C. and closer to the communities they serve throughout the United States.  

The Decentralize Regulatory Agencies, Include the Nation Act (DRAIN Act) of 2018, directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the General Services Administration (GSA) to jointly develop and implement a competitive bidding process for nonsecurity federal agencies to relocate outside of Washington, D.C. by October 1, 2029 or by the date their current lease expires. Communities with a higher-than-average unemployment rate, a clear nexus between the agency and the geographic community, or existing infrastructure to support the agency will be given priority in the bidding process.

“What better way to drain the swamp than by moving federal agencies away from bureaucrats in Washington and closer to the communities they should be serving,” said Senator Young. “By relocating these agencies to smaller and less costly cities, not only will this legislation help our federal government become more efficient, it will help create new investment and opportunities in areas of the country that are struggling to compete economically.” 

Many agencies today have already made the decision to not locate their core mission in downtown Washington, D.C., including the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland; the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn, Maryland; and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. Under the DRAIN Act, all nonsecurity executive branch agencies must look outside Washington, D.C. to relocate their operations unless the President submits a report to Congress detailing the basis for an exemption. Additionally, the cost of relocation must be covered by existing funding.

Click here to view the bill text