Drain the Swamp: Moving federal workers out of Washington, D.C. and into the office

Republican Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst wants to move at least 30% of the federal workforce out of Washington, D.C., while mandating that federal workers must show up every day to the office.

Ernst announced her DRAIN THE SWAMP Act on Thursday, saying it would result in the federal government selling off unnecessary office space while presumably moving workers from the high-cost D.C. area.

Ernst is the chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus that’s intended to work with President-elect Donald Trump’s announced Department of Government Efficiency to cut government waste.

“My investigations have exposed how bureaucrats have been doing just about everything besides their job during the workday,” Ernst said in a news release. “Federal employees have shown they don’t want to work in Washington, and in the Christmas spirit, I am making their wish come true. Instead of keeping them bogged down in the swamp, I’m working to get bureaucrats beyond the D.C. beltway to remind public servants who they work for. In addition to improving government service for all Americans, we can give taxpayers an extra Christmas gift by selling off unused and expensive office buildings.”