HB1280, titled the “DRAIN THE SWAMP Act,” would require every executive agency to move at least 30 percent of its headquarters employees to duty stations outside the Washington metropolitan area within one year of enactment. The bill defines headquarters employees broadly to include employees stationed at agency headquarters and certain full-time teleworkers paid at the Washington-area locality rate, while excluding some national security positions and employees who receive a disability-related full-time telework accommodation. Agencies would have to identify eligible employees, notify them, report to Congress on implementation, and then carry out the relocations on a set timeline.
The bill also directs the Office of Management and Budget to reduce federally owned or leased headquarters office space by at least 30 percent, prioritize disposal of buildings and consolidation of headquarters locations, and phase in those reductions over two years. It further requires agencies to include headquarters staffing and telework data in budget justification materials and bars relocation incentives for employees whose official worksite changes under the Act. The bill states that it overrides conflicting laws and collective bargaining agreements and creates no private right of action.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would significantly alter federal workforce management, telework policy, and headquarters footprint requirements across executive agencies. It would force agencies to redistribute staff away from the Washington, D.C. region, adjust pay based on new duty stations, reduce full-time telework for many headquarters employees, and shrink federal office holdings. It would also affect labor relations by superseding conflicting statutes and collective bargaining provisions, while preserving an exception for certain disability accommodations and national security-related positions.
Sentiment
The available context shows no recorded committee debate or votes, so there is no formal legislative record of support or opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill’s framing and provisions, it appears designed to appeal to proponents of decentralizing federal power and reducing Washington-based bureaucracy, while likely drawing concern from those worried about workforce disruption, telework restrictions, and agency operational impacts. The bill was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Contention
The main points of contention are likely to be the mandatory relocation of employees, the reduction of full-time telework, and the bill’s override of existing collective bargaining agreements and other laws. Supporters would likely emphasize geographic diversity, rural job creation, lower headquarters concentration in Washington, and improved in-person service. Opponents would likely focus on employee disruption, recruitment and retention challenges, potential costs of relocation and office restructuring, and the bill’s broad reach across agencies. The disability accommodation exception and national security exclusions may also be debated as to whether they are sufficient or too narrow.