Helping Infrastructure Restore the Economy Act

Infrastructure is vital to the economy.

Many areas in the United States have fallen into economic distress.

The benefits of Federal employment should be shared widely and should not be concentrated in the Washington metropolitan area.

Moving the headquarters of Federal agencies and the covered permanent duty stations of employees of Federal agencies out of the Washington metropolitan area and to economically distressed regions would provide an opportunity to—

Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia are among the States with regions that have experienced substantial economic distress during the past 10 years.

2020 census— The term “2020 census” means the 2020 decennial census of population carried out by the Secretary of Commerce under section 141 of title 13, United States Code.

Administrator— The term “Administrator” means the Administrator of General Services.

Cabinet agency— The term “Cabinet agency” means—

Covered agency— The term “covered agency” means—

Covered permanent duty station— The term “covered permanent duty station” means, with respect to employees of a covered agency, the permanent duty station described in section 6(a)(2).

Designated State— The term “designated State” means—

Director— The term “Director” means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Executive agency— The term “Executive agency” has the meaning given the term in section 105 of title 5, United States Code.

Executive department— The term “Executive department” has the meaning given the term in section 101 of title 5, United States Code.

Headquarters— The term “headquarters”—

Location— The term “location” means a geographic area not larger than 100 square miles.

Non-Cabinet agency— The term “non-Cabinet agency”—

Relocation proposal— The term “relocation proposal” means a proposal developed by the Director and the Administrator under section 4(a)(1)(A).

State— The term “State” means a State of the United States.

Washington metropolitan area— The term “Washington metropolitan area” has the meaning given the term “National Capital region” in section 8702 of title 40, United States Code.

In general— Not later than 2 years after the date on which the Secretary of Commerce completes the 2020 census, the Director and the Administrator shall—

Designated State officials selecting relocation locations— Unless the covered agency to which a relocation proposal pertains is abolished, not later than 1 year after the date on which the Director and the Administrator submit the relocation proposal to the designated State to which the relocation proposal pertains under section 4(a)(2), the designated State may, from the proposed locations included in the relocation proposal and by enacting a law of the designated State stating that a location has been so selected, select 1 location to which the headquarters of the covered agency and the covered permanent duty station of employees of the covered agency shall be relocated under section 6(a).

Failure by, or inability of, designated State officials To select and approve relocation locations— If a designated State to which a relocation proposal is submitted fails to select a location, or, under Federal or State law, is unable to select a location, from the relocation proposal under subsection (a) by the deadline described in that subsection, the Director and the Administrator shall, from the locations included in the relocation proposal, select the location to which the headquarters of the covered agency and the covered permanent duty station of employees of the covered agency shall be relocated under section 6(a).

Requirements— As soon as reasonably possible after a location is selected under section 5, but in no event later than 10 years thereafter, the Director, the Administrator, and the head of the covered agency to which the selection pertains shall relocate to the selected location—

Penalties— If, on the date that is 10 years after the date on which a location is selected under section 5, the headquarters of the covered agency and the covered permanent duty station of employees of the covered agency have not been relocated as required under subsection (a) of this section—

Point of order— On and after the date that is 10 years after the date on which a location is selected under section 5 with respect to a covered agency, if the head of the covered agency has not relocated the headquarters of the covered agency and the covered permanent duty station of employees of the covered agency as required under subsection (a) of this section, it shall not be in order in the Senate or the House of Representatives to consider any bill, joint resolution, motion, amendment, amendment between the Houses, or conference report that authorizes the head of the covered agency to use funds made available to the covered agency in violation of subsection (b)(1) of this section.

Report— Not later than 1 year after the date on which a location is selected under section 5, and not less frequently than annually each year thereafter until the date on which the head of the covered agency to which the selection pertains meets the requirements under subsection (a) of this section, the head of the relevant covered agency shall submit to Congress a report on the progress of the covered agency in meeting the requirements under that subsection.

Inferior courts and tribunals— An inferior court or tribunal ordained and established by Congress may not exercise jurisdiction over a case or controversy in which a party challenges—

Supreme Court of the United States— The Supreme Court of the United States may not exercise appellate jurisdiction over a case or controversy described in subsection (a).