Civilian Property Realignment Act of 2011 (H.R. 1734): Analysis of Key Provisions

Garrett Hatch
Analyst in American National Government

In an effort to reduce the costs associated with maintaining thousands of unneeded and underutilized federal buildings, and to generate revenue through the sale of such properties, the 112th Congress is considering several real property reform bills. Perhaps the most comprehensive of these proposals is H.R. 1734, the Civilian Property Realignment Act (CPRA) of 2011, which was introduced May 4, 2011.

CPRA would establish a new, more centralized process for making decisions regarding the consolidation, reconfiguration, redevelopment, exchange, lease, sale, and conveyance of federal real property—actions collectively referred to as “realignment.” It would apply to all space owned and leased by executive branch agencies and government corporations, excluding military installations subject to Base Closure and Realignment Act (BRAC) legislation and properties excluded for reasons of national security.

The first step in the CPRA process would be for federal landholding agencies to develop recommendations for realigning their real property portfolios, and for reducing operating and maintenance costs. Agencies would submit these recommendations to the Administrator of the General Services Administration, who would, in consultation with the chairperson of the Federal Real Property Council, review the recommendations, revise them, and then submit the revised recommendations to a newly established Civilian Property Realignment Commission.

The Commission would be composed of nine members, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. It would hold public hearings, analyze the recommendations it received from the Administrator, and submit a final list of recommendations to the President, who may return it to the Commission for revisions, submit it to Congress, or take no action. Once the President submits a list of recommendations to Congress, a joint resolution of disapproval must be enacted within 45 days, or the recommendations gain the force of law. Agencies would be required to begin implementing recommendations that became law within two years and complete them within six years.

This report describes and analyzes each step in the recommendation process, evaluates provisions that are intended to facilitate implementation of the Commission’s recommendations, and provides a discussion of additional transparency measures that may enhance congressional oversight of agency real property portfolios. This report examines CPRA as introduced and will be updated as needed.


Date of Report: May 20, 2011
Number of Pages: 11
Order Number: R41830
Price: $29.95

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