Introduction of A Bill to Require the Headquarters of the Bureau of Land Management to Remain in the National Capital Region

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to introduce a bill that would require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) headquarters to remain in the National Capital Region (NCR). My bill would require BLM's headquarters, as well as positions already located in the NCR on the date of the enactment of the bill, to remain located in the NCR. The bill is cosponsored by Representatives Anthony Brown, Gerald Connolly, Steny Hoyer, Jamie Raskin, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, David Trone and Jennifer Wexton.

My bill should not be needed, as more than 95 percent of BLM staff already work outside of the NCR, undoubtedly because of where land under BLM jurisdiction is located. The small number of employees at headquarters serve the indispensable role of keeping Congress and the president informed of its activities. Congress cannot do its work to write laws and engage in vital oversight without the unvarnished facts that nonpartisan agencies, like BLM, provide. The Washington Post reports that the Trump administration's plans to relocate most of the BLM's D.C. workforce outside of the NCR will impact roughly 300 employees. The administration's attempt to move BLM employees mirrors attempts by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to illegally move two of its agencies from the NCR to Kansas City.

In July, reports emerged that employees are deserting these two USDA agencies in high numbers, devastating parts of these agencies. Unless measures are taken to stop the reorganization of BLM, the same outcome could await this agency. Losses of BLM headquarters staff would directly hurt public lands and impact hundreds of federal employees and their families.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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