Fine Arts Protection Act of 2025

The Fine Arts Protection Act of 2025 would require the Comptroller General (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive review of the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Fine Arts Program within one year of enactment. The review must inventory and survey every piece in the Fine Arts Collection, estimate its economic value (including works from New Deal-era commissions), assess how well the program is being stewarded, and evaluate whether current staffing and funding are adequate to manage and preserve the collection. It also requires a comparison of GSA’s management with similar art-collection custodians and an examination of whether GSA, given ongoing planned reductions in staff and budget, should find a new home for the collection. The GAO must then report its findings and recommendations to Congress within two years, including whether the Fine Arts Program should continue to manage the collection. Purpose and potential impact: The bill aims to bring heightened oversight and data-driven evaluation to the nation’s public art holdings managed by GSA. Depending on the GAO’s findings, Congress could consider changes in management, funding, or even the location of the collection. The act foregrounds preservation of historic works, including New Deal commissions, and situates the discussion within broader questions about federal asset stewardship and governance.