Nov 17

Nov 17 Welcoming The FBI

Raoul Dennis

Inside Look

Hoyer Discusses The Selection of Greenbelt As The FBI's New Headquarters

By Steny Hoyer // U.S. Congressman, 5th District, Democrat

“That was a lowkey introduction. I came just to hear the Governor speak.

“Hello, team. Barbara Mikulski is not here, but Barbara Mikulski talked about Team Maryland. Although she's not in this room, she was there at the time that was critically important as we started this effort and moved it forward. I am so honored to be with the team because everybody joined. Senator Cardin said, and we were just back in the room talking about it, everybody joined hands on this effort and had FBI on their forehead everywhere they went. The Council, the County Executive – Angela, thank you so much for the leadership you have shown in making this happen. Rushern Baker.

“These folks are all going to speak and all of them played a critical role in getting us to this day, which is a victory, as the Governor said, for the FBI – a victory for the FBI –and all the employees and all those extraordinary people who serve our country and whose mission is to keep our country safe and keep our people safe. And we're going to give them a facility that will be the best law enforcement facility in the world, here in Greenbelt, Maryland.

“I'm proud to stand here. Obviously, this is a huge victory. Bob Mueller, the Director of the FBI, 14 years ago in 2009, came into my office. He said, ‘Our building is falling down. Our people are at risk who work here. The people who walk around our building are at risk. And it was designed for a law enforcement agency that no longer exists. We're in a new era, and we need a building that accommodates the way we do the work that we now do.’ And that's what this building is going to do right here in Greenbelt, Maryland.

“So this is an effort that was started by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. And the result of the work that so many people have done in those 14 years is going to advantage the FBI and America because its mission is going to be better accomplished. The FBI needed a site in the region that was secure, affordable, and accessible – one suitable for the Bureau's crucial work.

“With that goal in mind, the GSA conducted a thorough, transparent, and objective site selection process. Team Maryland stood united throughout this process as we presented the facts and made our case for why our sites were the best choice for the FBI.

“There is no doubt in anybody's mind here, or I suggest to you – ultimately at the GSA, that an objective reading of all the facts led to the selection of the FBI Headquarters at Greenbelt, Maryland, because it’s best for the country, best for the FBI, and best for the people. Our effort was always bipartisan. I want to thank Governor Hogan. He's not here either, but Governor Hogan stepped up with all of the Democrats and other Republicans in this state and said, ‘this is the place for the FBI.’ This is not a partisan effort. It was bipartisan – and I thank, Governor Hogan.

“Each side – you're going to read some articles – but each side had an equal opportunity to participate in the consultations and make their pitch. And you would have been so proud of this team. Led by our Governor, joined in by all of us here, at the GSA and the FBI in making a presentation on the facts. No pressure, no this, no that, no something else – on the facts. And on the facts, they did what we thought they would do: chose Greenbelt as the site for the new FBI. They weighed the facts and found that Greenbelt is the most transit accessible, provides the greatest schedule certainty of getting this building done, costs the taxpayers less. By that much? By that much? Over a billion dollars better buy for the taxpayer at Greenbelt, Maryland.

“This historic day for the FBI is the result of the cooperation and resolve of so many of all of us in this room and around this state.

“I want to thank Ike Leggett. Ike Leggett is the former county executive of Montgomery County, Montgomery County. At the very beginning, Ike Leggett said this is the proper place for the FBI to be placed. I already thanked Barbara Mikulski. Chris Van Hollen is going to speak. Ben Cardin is going to speak. I'm going to introduce Ben in a second. As well as our entire delegation. I should mention the Attorney General, he left our delegation, but he's back here. And why is he back? Because he worked very hard to make this happen. And very frankly, he and I just about shared this whole district with Landover and Greenbelt. I also appreciate the tremendous work, as I said, that Governor Hogan did.

“But let me tell you, I won’t mention his name, but somebody came up to me and said, ‘You know, this was an unfair competition.’ I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He was from Virginia, by the way. It's unfair competition. So I thought he was going to give, you know, and he said, ‘Yeah, you had Moore. We have Youngkin.’ Just saying, just saying.

“I want to thank President Ferguson and Speaker Jones and their colleagues in the General Assembly. Maryland stepped up to the role. I want to thank the Mayor of this great city, called Greenbelt. I want the Greenbelt Council people to stand up please, Greenbelt. I want the County Council to stand up, Prince George's County. And I want, the ones who aren’t standing here, I want members of the State Senate and House of Delegates to stand up. And I want all the rest of you to stand up. Because we’re a team. This team was made up of every political group, every generation, every level of government. Together, we put Maryland’s best foot forward, and it was good enough and great enough to be selected correctly as the site of an extraordinary law enforcement agency.

“I speak for all of us when I say we are eager to welcome the FBI to Maryland as soon as possible. And I join the Governor, the delegation, the Governor — his team, Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, Comptroller, all going to be working to make this the best move any federal agency has ever made.

“I’m proud of what we’ve done. I thank the Governor. And I thank all of you.

“Together, we go further, something like that. And that's what happened here. And ladies and gentlemen, I want to introduce you to a partner that I've had since 1966. He and I were elected to the State Legislature together with Paul Sarbanes. In 1966, we went – he went to the House, I went to the Senate. I thought the Senate was the more important body, I've changed my mind on that. My friend Ben — who made such a difference in this success, Ben Cardin, our senior Senator.”