Virginia leaders cast final bid for FBI facility, tout 'proximity' to other agencies
Virginia’s leaders made their final push for the state to become the home of the FBI’s new headquarters, emphasizing that it would allow the agency to have close “proximity” to its other facilities and other agencies.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) and members of Virgnia’s congressional delegation said in a statement after state leaders met with the General Services Administration (GSA) to make a final pitch that the leaders argued Virginia is the stronger candidate for all five criteria that the FBI and GSA have laid out for deciding.
They said the town of Springfield, where the headquarters would be located if the GSA chooses Virginia, is close in proximity to FBI’s base at Quantico and other “key” intelligence sites, making it “the optimal location” to support the agency.
They added that it has more public transportation options than any other site under consideration and better site development flexibility, and it would “represent a strong commitment to advancing equity in underserved communities.”
“Springfield is a home run in every category,” Youngkin and the members of Congress said.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine (D) said at a news conference after meeting with the GSA that the state did not want to “say anything negative” about Maryland, the other state being considered for the headquarters but advocate that Virginia is the better choice.
The Post reported that proximity to other FBI properties is weighed most heavily in decision-making at 35 percent, while racial equality is weighed at 15 percent and cost to taxpayers at 10 percent.
“The most important is compatibility with the mission of the FBI. This is the nation’s security that we’re talking about. That has to be the primary component,” Kaine said. “And we believe for dozens of reasons, the siting of FBI in close proximity to so many sister agencies who have to work together, not in silos, [makes] the Virginia site so strong.”
Maryland officials said at a press conference on Wednesday after meeting with the GSA that they pushed for all five criteria to be weighed equally, with Rep. Steny Hoyer (D) calling the selection process “not fair.”
“All we’re asking was a fair and transparent process and one where a thumb is not being put on the scale to unfairly disadvantage a community that has already been historically disadvantaged,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said. “And we know that with a fair process, Maryland will prevail.”
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner (D) responded on Thursday that the time for considering the criteria has passed and that the two states should be debating about which better suits the criteria set out, the Post reported.
“It has been stunning to me that some have said maybe the needs of the FBI somehow shouldn’t be considered so highly,” he said. “We’re making a 50-year decision for the men and women of the FBI.”
Congress directed the GSA last year to choose a site for the FBI’s headquarters from three choices, which are Springfield, Va., Greenbelt, Md., and Landover, Md.