U.S. General Services Administration
In Congressional Testimony, GSA Administrator Carnahan, PBS Commissioner Albert Emphasize GSA’s Leadership in Economic Recovery, Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
Administrator Carnahan: “This is the Moment to Build Back Better”
WASHINGTON — Today, Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Robin Carnahan and Public Buildings Service (PBS) Commissioner Nina Albert testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
In their respective testimonies, Administrator Carnahan and Commissioner Albert underscored GSA’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the agency’s commitment to building our economy back better while saving taxpayer dollars. They highlighted GSA’s leadership in safe re-entry into government offices, determining the future of federal real estate, and on building sustainability and climate resilience.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, GSA has acquired and distributed huge amounts of supplies, rapidly implemented CDC guidance in federal facilities across the country, and helped many federal, state, and local partners with emergency needs,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “Now as we look to the future, GSA is uniquely positioned to help the country build back better and seize the enormous opportunity we have to reimagine how and where work gets done, and improve government service delivery for the public.”
“As we transition to supporting the return of more federal workers into the office, we anticipate an impact on the federal real estate footprint from increased telework,” said PBS Commissioner Nina Albert. “At GSA, we are deeply engaged in defining what an integrated, hybrid workplace model looks like, which we know will combine human capital, technology and real estate solutions.”
Throughout the pandemic, GSA has helped federal, state, and local partners by procuring and delivering 51 million pairs of protective gloves, more than 983 gallons of disinfectant and cleaning solutions, more than 662,000 gallons of hand sanitizer, 1.3 million masks and face shields, more than 208,000 Meals Ready to Eat, 18,000 laptops for agency partners, and 15,000 beds and cots for medical needs, and providing support to the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy in preparation for their deployment to New York City and Los Angeles. With additional resources from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020, GSA has executed and delivered enhanced cleaning in GSA-controlled and leased space, in accordance with CDC guidance for cleaning and disinfection.
Administrator Carnahan also discussed how the President’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request, the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, and the Build Back Better Act will help green the federal real estate footprint, improving sustainability and combating the climate crisis.
To read the testimonies in full.
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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement for the federal government, managing a real estate portfolio of more than 370 million rentable square feet nationwide and overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts. GSA’s mission is to deliver value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support services across government, in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s four priorities of climate, COVID response, economic recovery and diversity, equity and inclusion. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.