Lafayette Reporter

Senator John Kennedy has reintroduced the Reinforce Occupancy Obligations for Maximized Interagency Efficiency (ROOMIE) Act, aiming to mandate in-person work requirements for federal agency employees. The legislation also seeks to ensure efficient use of office space by these agencies.

Kennedy stated, "It’s past time that employees of federal agencies work in person. Right now, bureaucrats are wasting office space and Americans’ tax dollars. The ROOMIE Act would save money by demanding efficiency and hard work from federal employees."

The proposed act includes specific measures such as requiring at least 80% of federal agency employees to work in-person from Monday through Friday each week. Additionally, it directs agencies to utilize at least 60% of their office space or relinquish it for private business use.

A review conducted by the Government Accountability Office revealed that 17 federal agencies used only about 25% or less of their available office space on average. Furthermore, findings from the General Services Administration (GSA) indicated potential health risks associated with underutilized government buildings. In some cases, legionella bacteria were found in federally controlled buildings due to stagnant water caused by remote working conditions.

The full text of the bill is available for public access.