House Republicans delivered a parting shot to the outgoing Biden administration’s telework policies Wednesday, arguing in a hearing that taxpayer money was being squandered on mostly empty office buildings.
The Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing focused on the prevalence of civil servants still working from home. The incoming Trump administration is expected to mount an aggressive push to bring federal employees back to the office.
Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the committee’s chair, said President Joe Biden was wrong not to end pandemic-era telework.
“Taxpayer money is being wasted to lease and maintain all that expensive empty office space,” Comer said. “The resulting lack of foot traffic in the city is also economically devastating for the District,” he added, referring to Washington.