Bill · S. 23· Senate(119-S-23)
DRAIN THE SWAMP Act
- Introduced
- 1/7/2025
- Last activity
- 1/7/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Sponsored by
- Joni Ernst
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "DRAIN THE SWAMP Act," requires the head of every Executive agency to relocate at least 30 percent of its headquarters employees to duty stations outside the Washington metropolitan area. These new locations must be within the agency's various regions and should promote geographic diversity, including rural markets. Along with the move, employees' pay must be adjusted to match their new location's pay locality, and they can no longer telework on a full-time basis. The bill also directs the Office of Management and Budget to reduce government-owned or leased headquarters real estate by at least 30 percent. Additionally, the legislation prohibits the payment of relocation incentives for these moves.
Yes· 3 of 4
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?+5
The bill reduces government spending by requiring a 30 percent reduction in owned or leased headquarters real property.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+4
The bill promotes the movement of federal jobs and employees into rural markets.
Does this invest in rural communities?+3
The bill directs agency heads to promote geographic diversity including consideration of rural markets.
The opposite· 3 of 6
Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise?-5
The bill supersedes any provision of a collective bargaining or master labor agreement.
Would middle-income households be better off under this?-3
Relocated employees face potential pay reductions due to new pay locality calculations.
Does this give the federal government more power?-2
The bill centralizes authority in agency heads to force large-scale workforce redistributions.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Geographic Diversity and In-Person Service: The bill directs agency heads to promote geographic diversity, specifically considering rural markets, and to ensure adequate staffing in different regions to promote in-person customer service (Section 3, subsection b).
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Real Estate Management: The Office of Management and Budget is tasked with reducing the amount of real property used for headquarters by at least 30 percent, prioritizing the disposal of buildings and co-locating agencies (Section 4, subsection a).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Pay Reductions: Employees who are relocated must have their pay recalculated based on the pay locality of their new permanent duty station (Section 3, subsection a, paragraph 2, subparagraph A).
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Telework Restrictions: Employees whose duty stations are changed under this act will no longer be authorized to telework on a full-time basis (Section 3, subsection a, paragraph 2, subparagraph B). Furthermore, full-time teleworkers remaining in the Washington metropolitan area will also lose the authorization to telework on a full-time basis (Section 3, subsection e, paragraph 2).
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Loss of Relocation Incentives: If an employee's official worksite changes from their residence to the agency headquarters, they are prohibited from receiving any relocation incentives (Section 6).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power-2Improves Privacy Rights-1
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Affordable Housing-2
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+4Good For Low Income Households+2Good For Middle Class Households-3Good For People With Disabilities-2
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending+5Improves Union Protections-5
- 1/13/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/7/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
James LankfordRepublican · Oklahoma