Where Would You Move Agencies?
StartLast month, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, proposed a plan for federal agencies to look toward moving offices outside of Washington, D.C. Chaffetz was specific in noting that the Homeland Security Department could move to Des Moines, Iowa to save the federal government money on rent and salaries.
This idea intrigued us here at GovExec and we asked for reader input. We received dozens of suggestions, ranging from the price-consciously serious to the politically absurd.
Contents
- Federal Highway Administration
- Social Security Administration
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Department of Agriculture
- Health and Human Services
- Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
- National Weather Service
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
1/9
Federal Highway Administration
Where Is the Headquarters Now? Washington, D.C.
Where Do Readers Want to Move It? Chicago, Illinois
Sean Davis/Flickr From a Reader:
"The agency has lost touch with its real customers—the State Departments of Transportation—and focuses far too much time working with, and trying to please, the alphabet organizations of institutional Washington."2/9
Social Security Administration
Where Is the Headquarters Now? Baltimore, Maryland
Where Do Readers Want to Move It? San Juan, Puerto Rico
James Willamor/Flickr From a Reader:
"The agency could save millions of dollars due to paying less to employees and possibly being able to pay zero rent. It would be a great location due to year round perfect weather."3/9
Environmental Protection Agency
Where Is the Headquarters Now? Washington, D.C.
Where Do Readers Want to Move It? Charleston, West Virginia
Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock.com From a Reader:
"Lower cost of living, bring jobs back to where EPA destroyed them. The move would cause the out-of-touch East Coasters that run EPA HQ to get jobs elsewhere."4/9
Department of Agriculture
Where Is the Headquarters Now? Washington, D.C.
Where Do Readers Want to Move It? Kansas
Farmer Marion Krehbiel is seen in Kansas in 2014. Photo via USDA Flickr From Readers:
"Closer to rural agricultural America and the new NBAF facility.""Move to the farmland. Be where your rules impact real farmers and ranchers."
5/9
Health and Human Services
Where Is the Headquarters Now? Washington, D.C.
Where Do Readers Want to Move It? Raleigh, North Carolina
Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock.com
From a Reader:
"The Park is now home to 170 companies that include Biogen Idec, Syngenta, United Therapeutics, Cisco, Bayer CropScience, Eisai, BASF, the U.S. EPA, NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS; the only NIH Institute/Center outside of the DC metro area), and the original research institute that launched the park, RTI International."6/9
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Where Is the Headquarters Now? Washington, D.C.
Where Do Readers Want to Move It? Greenville, South Carolina
Nicolas Henderson/Flickr From a Reader:
"Better weather, shorter commute, lower cost of living, good amenities."7/9
National Weather Service
Where Is the Headquarters Now? Silver Spring, Maryland
Where Do Readers Want to Move It? Florida, Texas or Wyoming
From left: Johann Manzano/Flickr, Barbara Brannon/Flickr, Luke Lynch/Flickr From a Reader:
"Any one of the areas are cheaper to run an organization. More available space, less congested and NWS work can be performed from anywhere. Video conferencing makes a good alternative to jet setting across the country. Many of the NWS employees can telework, which would reduce the overall office size."8/9
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Where Is the Headquarters Now?: Washington, D.C.
Where Do Readers Want to Move It? Des Moines, Iowa, or Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City barbecue restaurant Arthur Bryant's is shown in 2011. Photo via Paul Sableman/Flickr From a Reader:
"The HUD Office in D.C. is extremely outdated, to say the least. If you have to build a new headquarters or give it a substantial rehab, you would think the cost would be much lower in the Midwest. As well, you would save a lot of money on salaries as the locality pay is much lower in the Midwest."- Start Over
9/9
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Where Is the Headquarters Now? Washington, D.C.
Where Do Readers Want to Move It? Roswell, New Mexico
Zach Frank/Shutterstock.com
From a Reader:
"Isn't it obvious?"
