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TO BUSINESS, AND NATIONAL EDITORS:
President's Budget Includes Major Investments in the Nation's Public
Buildings
WASHINGTON, March 4, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S.
General Services Administration announced major construction and
repair projects for public buildings outlined in President Obama's
Fiscal Year 2015 Budget request. The Administration's budget request
calls for important, common sense investments in the nation's public
buildings managed by U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). These
investments would enable GSA to properly maintain and improve the real
estate assets owned and paid for by the American people.
"The President's budget includes the investments we need to help
rebuild our nation's infrastructure, ensure that federal agencies can
support economic and job growth in communities across this country,
and provide vital and high quality services for the public," said GSA
Administrator Dan Tangherlini. "I know that with this budget, we will
contribute to delivering the efficient and effective government that
the American people expect."
Investing in the Nation's Public Buildings:
As a result of consecutive years of reduced funding, GSA's portfolio
of facilities have forgone more than $4 billion worth of capital
improvements including major repairs and maintenance as well as
critical additions to the inventory. While we have begun to make
significant progress in addressing years of deferred repairs, there is
still significant work to do in ensuring that our buildings can
support the work of government in the 21st century. The President's
Budget restores GSA's authority to fully use incoming rent funds to
meet the urgent needs of its real estate portfolio by investing more
than $1 billion in maintaining federal buildings that need major
renovations and basic repairs and renovations instead of diverting
those funds to other uses.
The Budget also identifies important construction projects across the
country, including more than $745 million in investments in nine
construction projects that range from land ports of entry to office
buildings and courthouses.
Investing in Border Infrastructure:
The Budget request includes $420 million in provisions for three
border crossing and inspection projects that will promote economic
growth, national security, and improve conditions for both vehicular
and pedestrian traffic. This provision includes work on the next phase
of the San Ysidro Port of Entry in Southern California, the busiest
border crossing in the world.
Making the Federal Real Estate Footprint Smaller and More Efficient:
The Budget request includes $100 million to further GSA's efforts to
consolidate agencies within existing Federally owned space across the
country to improve space utilization, optimize inventory, decrease
reliance on leased space, increase energy and water conservation, and
reduce the federal government's footprint. GSA's consolidation program
will save taxpayer dollars by reducing agency dependence on leased
space, and reducing the total amount of space occupied by the
government.
Improving Safety and Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings
The Budget request includes $100 million for projects that will
improve safety systems, meet security requirements, cut energy costs,
and reduce water consumption in buildings across the country.
These are all critical investments in infrastructure that will create
significant savings by preventing costly emergency repairs in the
future and build upon our progress of maintaining America's public
buildings.
The mission of GSA is to deliver best value in real estate,
acquisition and technology services to government and the American
people. The agency delivers this commitment through six priority areas
that include: delivering better value and savings; serving our
partners; expanding opportunities for small businesses; creating a
more sustainable government; leading with innovation; and building a
stronger GSA.
SOURCE U.S. General Services Administration
-0- 03/04/2014
/CONTACT: Dan Cruz, dan.cruz@gsa.gov
/Web Site: http://www.gsa.gov
CO: U.S. General Services Administration
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