Lankford’s Legislation to Save Taxpayer Dollars by Reusing Excess Federal Property Signed into Law

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – The Reuse Excess Property Act introduced by Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Gary Peters (D-MI) has been signed into law. The bill will hold agencies more accountable to the public on how they reuse excess personal property.

“This is not that hard. Use the stuff you already have before you buy more stuff. When federal agencies just buy more, before they use what we already have, it shows a lack of commitment to saving taxpayer dollars. The federal government is already the largest single buyer of goods and services in the world, so we need to prioritize good stewardship and effective use of property the government has already purchased,” said Lankford. “From paper clips to automobiles, Oklahoma families and businesses make decisions every day about how to use what they have before spending more money. We should always look for ways for the federal government to save more money and waste less time.”   

“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 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.”  

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.   

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 would 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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