The Senate Appropriations Committee voted last week to approve an amendment that would block the Trump administration from relocating the FBI headquarters to anywhere other than Greenbelt.
The current FBI headquarters is housed in the aging J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. While there is broad agreement that the agency needs a more secure and modern facility, debate over where to move it has dragged on for years.
The Trump administration and FBI officials announced plans earlier this month to redirect the $555 million set aside to build the FBI headquarters in Greenbelt, instead using the money to move the headquarters to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.
“Moving to the Ronald Reagan Building is the most cost effective and resource efficient way to carry out our mission to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution,” said FBI Director Kash Patel in a press release.
Backlash
This decision sparked backlash from Maryland officials, as the site in Greenbelt had been determined as the best fit in November 2023 after a very competitive process.
“It’s an issue with missed opportunities. The back and forth, the ongoing uncertainty about the relocation, it’s been a real impediment to our local economy, to the progress that could have been made,” said Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan.
In response, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) proposed an amendment to block the use of federal money to relocate the headquarters anywhere but Greenbelt. The amendment narrowly passed in a 15 to 14 vote with Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) crossing party lines to back the proposal.
“Last week the Trump Administration notified the Congress of its intent to poach funding intended for the new, competitively-selected FBI Headquarters in Greenbelt, Maryland, in order to permanently relocate the Bureau within the Ronald Reagan Building,” said Van Hollen in a statement. “This unauthorized use of funds is directly at odds with what has been passed by the Congress on a bipartisan basis and sets a dangerous precedent for executive overreach into Congress’s power of the purse. The Administration has also not provided any information around the total cost of the project or whether it will meet the Bureau’s security needs.”
Greenbelt Site Benefits
If built in Greenbelt, the headquarters would be located near the Greenbelt Metro Station and would bring significant economic benefits to Prince George’s County and the state of Maryland.
Governor Wes Moore estimated in 2023 that relocating the FBI to Greenbelt would generate 7,500 local jobs and more than $4 billion in economic activity, according to Streetcar Suburbs News. This would not only positively impact Greenbelt, but also surrounding cities such as College Park and Berwyn Heights.
“Our city stands ready to partner with the federal government and the FBI to ensure the new headquarters is constructed efficiently and becomes an integral part of our community,” a City of Greenbelt press release said. “We look forward to the economic growth and job opportunities this project will bring to Prince George’s County, and we are proud to contribute to strengthening our nation’s security.”
Ellie Jornlin is a University of Maryland student at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism interning with the Greenbelt News Review.
