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As effects of sequester take hold, lawmakers take a closer look at empty buildings and property owned, but not used, by our government
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Just to pay your rent -- your mortgage you're not going to be happy about this you know you're paying 51 million dollars a year simply to maintain wasted that means empty space in federal courthouse just.
51 million dollars or space it's not even used Cashman John my business try to get to the bottom of this -- -- -- -- nice to see if congressman.
But good to see you -- -- one where.
Out of -- break give all kinds of financial disaster at the waste continues.
And hopefully we're focusing a little bit of attention on some of that.
-- I see you had hearings today to focusing attention is that right.
Down here in Miami down backing -- back again sort of like a bad lunch I guess coming up on GSA and some of the others but it seems the only way we can get their attention is to -- on them.
Now or at we were at Miami community college today across the street.
From the federal courthouse where last year -- in August I held a hearing.
In an empty courthouse MP four or five years actually going on seven years because they knew it was going to be -- Costing the taxpayer millions of dollars a year to keep a vacant building in downtown Miami.
When you have a community college which -- for me after hearing they've been trying to get it for.
For years and can't get GSA to resolve this so.
Waist and then across from -- -- a new courthouse which we found out today as -- five 48.
Million dollars up.
And part that's vacant sounds then I.
It's just falling.
I don't I don't appreciate coming in but a -- -- really heat for one aspect of this you cannot billing -- as a street said that was -- built and fact that congress authorized to certain amount of money to build that courthouse and they -- dead and -- and you know -- -- taxpayers got we have got something much more than congress and even authorized right.
Well actually the GAO testified today that they build 97000.
Square feet more than -- congress authorized.
What did I -- what I try to do is get to the bottom of who.
Was responsible and GA GAO said GSA it did -- this so they built.
All right now you're you're confident as much time did you understand.
The -- out of the legislature of congress is oversight.
Where in the world were all of you know -- the plans -- -- overbilled what you authorized where's it all we have we're hearing about it now it's too late we paid for we built it we got it.
But you authorize it you know it isn't part of your job to make sure that you -- -- providing oversight that you don't -- and so the American people don't get put on the hook for something like this.
Well absolutely and some of the way the federal judges calculated.
Again that they were going to add judges and need this space.
He had sorted garbage in garbage into GSA and GSA takes advantage of the situation builds a larger structure.
Then you need and no one was at the gate now.
I've -- this senate subcommittee for a few months as you know I chaired transportation.
-- launched all of these investigations.
Into.
141000.
Federal buildings -- properties.
That are under utilized -- -- did that but the first one on the post office building as you may recall.
A couple of years ago the first here.
-- I hell interestingly enough credit that is now going to employ for a thousand people.
It's gonna have a 400 room motel two blocks from the White House.
And I have about ten million in income rather than ten -- in the -- so we are trying to take these and about to take them one at a time.
I go across the country Miami Washington wherever.
Well I you know I certainly don't that's a big fan of -- what you're doing on news that -- is there's no reason why American give a prepaid for -- billions or having villains build bigger than what congress authorized.
Camp but that and -- -- -- take a look at GSA way to say it GSA's what has -- them all landlord for all these buildings right and she SA who could forget the -- conference they had to the tune about a million dollars in Vegas for the guys in the -- -- guy.
I think the last -- that -- yeah.
The American instead it sent checking to see what's going nominees bill and -- he's in the bathtub with two glasses that might -- -- allies to that I've been matched we we don't we're paid for the NY -- and that kind of match but anyway -- that's my sarcasm.
How I wish that other members of congress had this appetite dead that you -- to go after these empty billion -- really as.
Is painful that death yet here we talk much sequestration -- -- blowing money and things like this.
Well I started you know I had limited jurisdiction as chairman of transportation.
More authority.
Went out adults -- -- and we've got 7000.
Acres the size of the city of Key West.
And agricultural research -- I think the first member of congress southern on the local wants to be there since 1930.
500 buildings on the property 200 of them vacant.
7000.
Acres prime real estate just outside the nation's capital got to see that mess with that.
Rows of vacant office buildings -- vines growing over them and no one cares.
And she did they ever did last quarter and worse yet is it we're still building more buildings to to a house of federal government a different areas go figure -- -- exempted village that we are already paid perhaps I should thank you -- -- that day and I know he will stay on this topic and I and I and I hope you did thank you sir.
Thank you thank you for bringing -- to the public's attention.
