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.
Key claim: HR2046 would require congressional approval before the federal government can sell, dispose of, declare excess or surplus, transfer, or convey federal property with historical significance.
Abstract
(HR2046 · 119th Congress) Latest action (2025-03-11): Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Why this matters
Federal real property disposition currently sits largely with executive-branch agencies under GSA rules, and adding a congressional approval gate for historically significant properties would slow disposals but strengthen preservation-oriented oversight. For land use in the Housing & Land Use area, this affects whether federal parcels — including sites that could otherwise be repurposed for housing or transferred to states, tribes, or local governments — reach the market at all. The framing is neutral: proponents view it as protecting heritage, while critics may see it as adding friction to federal asset management and reuse.