[red-iron-pine]

Did you read the article? They allude to reasons. FedGov owns a lot of space in DC and their presence drives a lot of the city's economy, like staffers stopping at Starbucks, etc. The DC Mayor has been asking for many buildings back to be repurposed for housing or other uses, too.

And there is the perception that remote workers aren't working that hard, so somehow this is the fiscally responsible thing, despite the fact that ditching a lot of overheads could save the gub'mnt tons of money. It's not like the GOP thought they worked that hard to begin with...

Lastly there is the "wag the dog" idea that this generates clicks and controversy while other bills, like those funding the IRS, or those that would improve minimum wage limits, languish quietly.

Also, what's the average age in congress? To paraphrase a 60 year old I know, "this sounds like more Boomer Management".