Peters Bipartisan Legislation to Save Taxpayer Dollars by Reusing Excess Federal Property Signed into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, to hold agencies more accountable to the public on how they reuse excess personal property has been signed into law. Federally-owned personal property includes physical items such as office supplies, furniture, automobiles, and heavy machinery. The federal government is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world, and this law will ensure agencies are looking to excess property – available at no cost apart from any necessary transportation – before buying new products in order to save taxpayer dollars.  

“Agencies should always consider reusing excess goods like office supplies, equipment, and vehicles rather than buying them new, and this law will ensure they do just that,” said Senator Peters. “This law will hold the federal government more accountable by ensuring they only spend taxpayer dollars on essential items. The American people know what it means to be frugal and reuse what they own: it’s time federal agencies do the same.”  

The Reuse Excess Property Act will update existing requirements for agencies to report their excess personal property to the General Services Administration (GSA) by making those reports available to the public as well. This will help agency officials and taxpayers better understand the extent to which agencies are working to cut wasteful spending through the use of excess property. The bill also requires agencies publicly report on their guidance on the use of excess personal property and designate an employee to be responsible for searching through available excess personal property for items that meet agency needs. 

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