House seeks to unload unneeded government property

The House has passed a bill that would set up a commission to help decide which unused buildings the government can dispose of.

The commission would make recommendations to the president and Congress on disposing of some of the federal government's thousands of unneeded buildings. Congress would have to vote either to approve or disapprove the commission's choices.

Supporters cited estimates that the commission could generate $15 billion in revenue from property sales over a decade.

The Obama administration last May proposed a similar plan to reduce the federal property inventory. The White House said it appreciated the House bill but voiced some objections, particularly over environmental considerations.

The bill now goes to the Senate.

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