Federal Agencies Spent $4.6 Billion on Furniture Since 2020 Amidst Widespread Remote Work

A recent report from government watchdog OpenTheBooks.com has revealed that U.S. federal agencies spent approximately $4.6 billion on office furniture since October 2020. This significant expenditure occurred even as many government offices remained largely deserted due to widespread telework policies adopted during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, raising questions about fiscal responsibility and efficient use of taxpayer funds.

Data presented to the House Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering Government Efficiency indicated that over half of federal employees were regularly teleworking or fully remote as of May 2024. A 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit further found that 17 of 24 major federal agencies utilized 25% or less of their headquarters space during a sample period across early 2023, highlighting substantial underutilization of physical office infrastructure.

The extensive spending includes notable purchases such as $237,960 for 30 solar-powered picnic tables for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2021. The State Department also allocated $120,000 for 40 Ethan Allen chairs for its embassy in Islamabad and $250,000 for Herman Miller chairs for USAID offices in Mozambique. Other examples include the Nancy Pelosi Federal Building in San Francisco spending $39,000 on new conference tables despite remote work directives.

John Hart, CEO of OpenTheBooks.com, testified before the House Oversight Subcommittee, criticizing the expenditures.

"That amount can buy 9.2 million American families a modest $500 kitchen table," Hart stated, characterizing the billions splurged on the "federal real estate portfolio" as effectively "decorating and redecorating the administrative state." He emphasized the perceived waste of taxpayer funds in underutilized spaces.

The Department of Defense topped the list of spenders with $1.63 billion, followed by Veterans Affairs ($590.4 million), Justice ($555.5 million), State ($508.5 million), and the General Services Administration ($552.8 million). This pattern of expenditure has fueled ongoing discussions in Congress regarding federal real estate management and efficiency, with calls for greater accountability and efforts to reduce the government's physical footprint. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, chair of the subcommittee, highlighted the need to eliminate inefficiencies, while Rep. Melanie Stansbury acknowledged the issue as long-standing.