PRESERVE Act

Protect public art on federal surplus property

This bill would require the GSA Administrator to check any federal property declared surplus for "covered art" within 30 days. If covered art is found, the Administrator would notify named House and Senate committees and local Members within 60 days and create a Preservation Committee at least 90 days before any demolition, transfer, or disposal. Each Preservation Committee (3–6 members) would include at least one career GSA Fine Arts Program civil service employee and at least two other specified experts, and would have 90 days to make a preservation plan to keep the art whenever possible. The Administrator would have to post any received plan on the GSA website within 30 days and keep it available for at least 90 days. GSA could not sell, lease, or demolish covered surplus property until the committee finishes the plan and the Administrator certifies the plan is being implemented and the artwork will remain publicly accessible; the committee could also recommend long-term loans to museums or nonprofit organizations if those agreements include the preservation and public-access rules. The bill would also define key terms such as "covered art" (including works managed by the GSA Fine Arts Program in the prior 5 years, New Deal works, and GSA Art in Architecture pieces), "publicly accessible," "nonprofit organization," and the named congressional committees.