Congress claims veto over sale of America's historic federal buildings
H.R. 2046 — To require congressional approval before the sale, disposal, declaration of excess or surplus, transfer, or conveyance of Federal property with historical significance, and for other purposes. · Filed by Shomari Figures (D-AL) · 11 cosponsors · Introduced Mar 11, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill requires Congress to pass a joint resolution approving any sale, transfer, or disposal of federal property that is or has ever been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Currently, federal agencies can dispose of such properties with less oversight; this bill adds a congressional veto gate to that process, giving lawmakers explicit control over what happens to historically significant federal buildings and sites.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is to insert a congressional approval requirement into the federal property-disposal process for historically significant assets. It is a straightforward governance/accountability measure with no hidden mechanisms or narrow beneficiaries.
What the text implies
- May slow or halt planned federal property dispositions, potentially affecting agency budgets and real-estate strategies that depend on asset sales for revenue or consolidation.
- Creates a new veto point in the legislative process; a single chamber or coalition can block dispositions indefinitely, which may entrench inefficient federal real-estate holdings.
- Does not define 'historical significance' beyond National Register listing; properties listed decades ago for minor reasons may now require full congressional approval, potentially capturing more properties than intended.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
Citizens gain democratic accountability over the disposition of publicly owned historic properties. The bill does not restrict citizens' rights or impose costs; it restrains executive/agency discretion and requires legislative approval—a transparency and accountability measure that strengthens public control over shared national heritage.
Named in the bill
U.S. House of Representatives, Congress, Federal agencies, National Register of Historic Places, President
Where it stands
11 cosponsors: 11 Democrats.
- Mar 11, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Mar 11, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and House Committee on Natural Resources · Congress.gov: “Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (2,023 characters) on May 21, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
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