Ranking Members Larsen and Titus Statements from Hearing on GSA’s Site Selection for New FBI Headquarters

Floor Speech

"Thank you, Chairman Perry, for calling today’s hearing to examine the site selection process for the new Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters and thank you to our witnesses for participating.

Commissioner Doomes, let me officially welcome you back to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. I am sure you would be more comfortable on this side of the dais than at the witness table, but it is always a pleasure to have former T&I staff testify before the committee.

GSA, the FBI and Congress worked together from 2011 through 2018 to put the FBI in a new headquarters building that would meet the FBI’s current and future security, space, and operational requirements. Those efforts failed.

In 2022, Congress directed the GSA to start the process again by picking one of the three sites identified in the first procurement.

Last month, GSA selected the site in Greenbelt, Maryland, but multiple parties have expressed concern about GSA’s decision.

While those concerns are being examined by GSA’s Inspector General, it is useful for this committee to understand how and why the first procurement failed so we can help GSA and the FBI avoid repeating the same mistakes.

I want to hear from GSA what the agency learned from the previous failure and what steps are being taken to ensure success this time around.

For instance, is GSA prepared to carry out a project of this magnitude?

I also want to hear from GSA and the FBI about their plans to secure the funding needed to complete the project.

Finally, I want to know the effect on the FBI’s staff and operational capabilities if a new headquarters building is not built in the near future.

The FBI has an important mission, and its employees deserve safe, secure and functional workspace.

I look forward to discussing how this committee can help ensure the FBI has the headquarters it needs today and in the future.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman."

Source