Hoyer Discusses the Need for Openness and Transparency in the Selection of a Site for the New Consolidated FBI Headquarters
WASHINGTON, DC– Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) spoke on the House Floor with Reps. José Serrano and Ander Crenshaw, the Ranking Member and the Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services, respectively, to discuss his longstanding support for a fully-consolidated FBI relocation and his concerns with the GSA's recent reduction in the estimated cost of relocating existing facilities at the Springfield site. Below is a transcript of his remarks and a link to the video:
Click here to watch the video.
Mr. Hoyer: "I thank the gentleman for yielding. As Chairman [Ander Crenshaw] and the Ranking Member [José Serrano] know, I have been working on a new, consolidated Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters project since 2007. This project remains a top priority for the Maryland delegation.
"Bids, as the Chairman knows, on the three sites under consideration were due on June 22. Two of the sites under consideration for the new facility, Greenbelt and Landover, are located in Maryland. We've been working at the federal, state, and local levels to assemble competitive bids for our sites. We believe that in a fair and open competition, Maryland has put forward sites and proposals that would ultimately be deemed a better fit for the FBI.
"However, as I have discussed with the Chairman and the Ranking Member, I remain concerned about the General Services Administration's recent reduction in the estimated cost of relocating existing federal facilities at the Springfield, Virginia site, since the cost of relocation at these facilities will be factored into the price for the Springfield site. We need to ensure that the GSA produces an accurate number that fully reflects the relocation cost that taxpayers will be asked to cover.
"My question for the Chairman and the Ranking Member is: will you agree to work with me to ensure that the GSA accurately reports the cost of any federal facility relocation associated with these sites? And in addition to that, I would ask, do the gentlemen agree – the Chairman and Ranking Member – that such transparency on the part of GSA is needed to ensure that the process for siting of this facility is fair and provides accurate information to municipalities and developers competing to construct and house this critically important FBI project? And I yield to the Chairman."
Mr. Crenshaw: "Well let me say to you, from Maryland, thank you for bringing this to our attention, and you have my assurance as we have previously discussed, that I will work with you to make sure this is an open and fair process all the way down the line."
Mr. Hoyer: "I thank the gentleman and have no doubt that that representation is – I certainly rely on that and I appreciate it."
Mr. Serrano: "I thank my friend and distinguished Whip from Maryland for his continued involvement in this effort and his steadfast advocacy for making sure the processes for the new FBI headquarters is located on the best site possible. He also has my commitment we will work together to ensure that this is a fair process and that GSA provides all relevant information to prospective bidders accurately.
Mr. Hoyer: "I thank my friend and I yield back the balance of my time."