After USDA Antideficiency Act violation, lawmakers push bill for more relocation oversight

Summary: Alongside staff attrition and lost productivity, the Department of Agriculture’s relocation of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Economic Research Service (ERS) in 2019 had yet another consequence — prior to the move, USDA violated the Antideficiency Act (ADA) by failing to meet congressional notification requirements. The Government Accountability Office, in a decision issued earlier this month, found that although USDA met its obligations to notify Congress about a transfer of funds to support NIFA’s relocation, the department did not meet the same requirements for ERS’ relocation. The GAO review, which Reps. Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.), Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Don Beyer (D-Va.) requested, came after USDA’s planning and subsequent relocation of both NIFA and ERS facilities from the Washington, D.C. area to Kansas City, Missouri, during the Trump administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices