Senator places hold on GSA reorganization bill

Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt., has placed a hold on legislation to consolidate the General Services Administration's two revolving funds, which could further delay the agency's ongoing reorganization.

The agency has tried for more than a year to have Congress pass a law consolidating funding for the Federal Technology Service and Federal Supply Service procurement organizations into a single Federal Acquisition Service fund. Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., first introduced a bill (H.R. 2066) for a consolidated fund in May 2005.

The measure quickly gained House approval, but languished in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee until May of this year, when the committee amended the bill to strike House language stipulating that GSA appoint five regional executives for the Federal Acquisition Service.

Jeffords placed his hold on the bill in June, in connection with a bill aimed at improving environmental efficiency in the federal government through encouraging use of "green" buildings (S.3591), according to a Senate source. Jeffords' office had no comment.

The environmental bill would authorize $20 million over five years for a federal building environmental standards oversight office at GSA, and would allow the Environmental Protection Agency to disburse $10 million in grants to states and local educational agencies.

Some congressional staffers expressed confusion over why Jeffords had placed his hold on the GSA reorganization bill.

The Senate staffer said the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee has little to offer Jeffords. "We have no dog in this fight," the staffer said, adding that the hold notice was unexpected. Jeffords introduced the environmental measure June 28 in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where he is the ranking member.

GSA has taken internal steps to combine its two procurement organizations, but the merger will remain incomplete without a law combining the funds.