§572 Real Property

Summary

When the General Services Administration (GSA) sells extra federal buildings or related items, the money must go into a special Treasury fund. GSA can use fund money to pay direct costs of handling and selling the property, like appraisers, auctions, environmental and historic studies, moving, advertising, and surveys. No more than 12% of all sale proceeds in a fiscal year can be used for those costs. The Office of Management and Budget sets the exact limit every quarter. GSA can pay expenses directly or repay another account that paid first. Each year any extra money beyond current needs must be moved to miscellaneous receipts, and GSA must report the receipts, spending, and transfers to the budget director and to Congress. For property controlled by a military department that the department says is excess, the property is first made available to other military departments at no charge. Definitions: military installation — a military base; base closure law — the law that governs closing or realigning bases. If no other military department takes the property, the military department can ask GSA to transfer or sell it. Proceeds from that transfer or sale go into a separate Treasury account and, if Congress allows, can be used for facility maintenance, repairs, or environmental cleanup. If the property was at a closed installation, the funds go to the military department that used to control it. For other installations, half goes to the installation where the property was and half goes to the former owning military department. The Secretary of Defense must include a yearly accounting of these transfers, disposals, and how the proceeds were used when asking Congress for appropriations.