Federal agencies were headquartered in the DC area when communication technology wasn’t nearly as advanced as it is today. The costs in Washington are also incredibly expensive relative to other parts of the country. This has created a federal government that often feels divorced from large segments of the population.
Federal agencies that aren’t directly tied to general government activities (e.g., the NIH) should be relocated to different areas throughout the country to provide a boost to local economies and tie the rest of the country to the federal government.
Problems to be Solved
- checkThe federal government is very centralized, creating a feeling of division between many Americans and its operations.
- checkAgencies are based in Washington, D.C., one of the most expensive cities in the country, which now has traffic and infrastructure problems.
- In my experience, the closer an organization is to its constituents, the more responsive it tends to be. We should move as much of the Federal government as is feasible to other parts of the country, particularly the Midwest. We should start by moving the NIH to Cleveland, where it would bolster the region’s already significant health care industry leadership.
Goals
- checkMake people feel more connected to the workings of the federal government
- checkProvide a boost to the economy of certain areas
- checkMake government expenditures more efficient
As President I will...
- Identify federal agencies that can operate outside of the Washington, D.C., area, and relocate them throughout the U.S.