FBI HQ in PG!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

Given the horrific state of the JEH building, doubtful the USG will start this process all over again for a third time, especially when the other two times resulted in the selection of Greenbelt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

Given the horrific state of the JEH building, doubtful the USG will start this process all over again for a third time, especially when the other two times resulted in the selection of Greenbelt.

The JEH building has been falling down for years. It can fall down for a few more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

You really don't know how the government works. The agencies do not get to make the decision about where they will be allocated buildings or real estate. It's like requesting a budget from Congress. POTUS can request the best or optimal budget, they can even have an OPM study that supports that they need the funding. But Congress will haggle and negotiate and end up with something completely different. Because Congress is in charge of the purse strings and they decide what appropriations are granted, regardless of whatever justification the President requests for his executive agencies.

Likewise, the FBI can request and the GSA does a study that recommends something. But the administration of the GSA does not have the follow the recommendation, and didn't in this case. But like Congress controls the purse strings, GSA controls the real estate. There is nothing that either Congress or the FBI can do about this. And even if there is an IG investigation, neither the Congressional investigation nor the IG investigation can change the decision by the GSA administrator, who signed off on the final decision.

Congress and the IG will waste time, but they cannot change this decision. It has been made and it will stay in Greenbelt. The only thing that all this does is delay when the project will start and delay the inevitable; that the FBI HQ will be built in Greenbelt as decided by the GSA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

You really don't know how the government works. The agencies do not get to make the decision about where they will be allocated buildings or real estate. It's like requesting a budget from Congress. POTUS can request the best or optimal budget, they can even have an OPM study that supports that they need the funding. But Congress will haggle and negotiate and end up with something completely different. Because Congress is in charge of the purse strings and they decide what appropriations are granted, regardless of whatever justification the President requests for his executive agencies.

Likewise, the FBI can request and the GSA does a study that recommends something. But the administration of the GSA does not have the follow the recommendation, and didn't in this case. But like Congress controls the purse strings, GSA controls the real estate. There is nothing that either Congress or the FBI can do about this. And even if there is an IG investigation, neither the Congressional investigation nor the IG investigation can change the decision by the GSA administrator, who signed off on the final decision.

Congress and the IG will waste time, but they cannot change this decision. It has been made and it will stay in Greenbelt. The only thing that all this does is delay when the project will start and delay the inevitable; that the FBI HQ will be built in Greenbelt as decided by the GSA.

You’re wrong. Congress can very easily change this decision by stipulating how money for a new FBI headquarters can and cannot be spent. And given how this issue has already become a political football (beyond MD v. VA), I anticipate fights ahead on Capitol Hill.

As much as you might want it, it is not “inevitable” that the HQ will be built in Greenbelt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

You really don't know how the government works. The agencies do not get to make the decision about where they will be allocated buildings or real estate. It's like requesting a budget from Congress. POTUS can request the best or optimal budget, they can even have an OPM study that supports that they need the funding. But Congress will haggle and negotiate and end up with something completely different. Because Congress is in charge of the purse strings and they decide what appropriations are granted, regardless of whatever justification the President requests for his executive agencies.

Likewise, the FBI can request and the GSA does a study that recommends something. But the administration of the GSA does not have the follow the recommendation, and didn't in this case. But like Congress controls the purse strings, GSA controls the real estate. There is nothing that either Congress or the FBI can do about this. And even if there is an IG investigation, neither the Congressional investigation nor the IG investigation can change the decision by the GSA administrator, who signed off on the final decision.

Congress and the IG will waste time, but they cannot change this decision. It has been made and it will stay in Greenbelt. The only thing that all this does is delay when the project will start and delay the inevitable; that the FBI HQ will be built in Greenbelt as decided by the GSA.

You’re wrong. Congress can very easily change this decision by stipulating how money for a new FBI headquarters can and cannot be spent. And given how this issue has already become a political football (beyond MD v. VA), I anticipate fights ahead on Capitol Hill.

As much as you might want it, it is not “inevitable” that the HQ will be built in Greenbelt.

But it’s much MUCH more expensive to build on the Springfield site. This would just land it back in Greenbelt, again.

So much cope on this board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

Yes and the 2020 election will be overturned any day now, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

You really don't know how the government works. The agencies do not get to make the decision about where they will be allocated buildings or real estate. It's like requesting a budget from Congress. POTUS can request the best or optimal budget, they can even have an OPM study that supports that they need the funding. But Congress will haggle and negotiate and end up with something completely different. Because Congress is in charge of the purse strings and they decide what appropriations are granted, regardless of whatever justification the President requests for his executive agencies.

Likewise, the FBI can request and the GSA does a study that recommends something. But the administration of the GSA does not have the follow the recommendation, and didn't in this case. But like Congress controls the purse strings, GSA controls the real estate. There is nothing that either Congress or the FBI can do about this. And even if there is an IG investigation, neither the Congressional investigation nor the IG investigation can change the decision by the GSA administrator, who signed off on the final decision.

Congress and the IG will waste time, but they cannot change this decision. It has been made and it will stay in Greenbelt. The only thing that all this does is delay when the project will start and delay the inevitable; that the FBI HQ will be built in Greenbelt as decided by the GSA.

You’re wrong. Congress can very easily change this decision by stipulating how money for a new FBI headquarters can and cannot be spent. And given how this issue has already become a political football (beyond MD v. VA), I anticipate fights ahead on Capitol Hill.

As much as you might want it, it is not “inevitable” that the HQ will be built in Greenbelt.

Not going to happen. Steny Hoyer significantly outranks both Mark Warner and Tim Kaine in the Democratic leadership (he's the former Whip). He has seniority and ranking. He may not be minority whip any longer, but he still has the political clout to ensure that the Congressional investigation gets dropped before it gets anywhere. Hoyer is not going to allow the Congress to force the location to Virginia.

No matter how much Virginians want this to be changed, there isn't really a viable path to changing the decision that the GSA has made and which Hoyer agrees with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

You really don't know how the government works. The agencies do not get to make the decision about where they will be allocated buildings or real estate. It's like requesting a budget from Congress. POTUS can request the best or optimal budget, they can even have an OPM study that supports that they need the funding. But Congress will haggle and negotiate and end up with something completely different. Because Congress is in charge of the purse strings and they decide what appropriations are granted, regardless of whatever justification the President requests for his executive agencies.

Likewise, the FBI can request and the GSA does a study that recommends something. But the administration of the GSA does not have the follow the recommendation, and didn't in this case. But like Congress controls the purse strings, GSA controls the real estate. There is nothing that either Congress or the FBI can do about this. And even if there is an IG investigation, neither the Congressional investigation nor the IG investigation can change the decision by the GSA administrator, who signed off on the final decision.

Congress and the IG will waste time, but they cannot change this decision. It has been made and it will stay in Greenbelt. The only thing that all this does is delay when the project will start and delay the inevitable; that the FBI HQ will be built in Greenbelt as decided by the GSA.

You’re wrong. Congress can very easily change this decision by stipulating how money for a new FBI headquarters can and cannot be spent. And given how this issue has already become a political football (beyond MD v. VA), I anticipate fights ahead on Capitol Hill.

As much as you might want it, it is not “inevitable” that the HQ will be built in Greenbelt.

Not going to happen. Steny Hoyer significantly outranks both Mark Warner and Tim Kaine in the Democratic leadership (he's the former Whip). He has seniority and ranking. He may not be minority whip any longer, but he still has the political clout to ensure that the Congressional investigation gets dropped before it gets anywhere. Hoyer is not going to allow the Congress to force the location to Virginia.

No matter how much Virginians want this to be changed, there isn't really a viable path to changing the decision that the GSA has made and which Hoyer agrees with.

Sorry, not Warner and Kaine (who are Virginia Senators).

But Hoyer outranks the entire Virginia delegation (none of whom really have much clout).
And Cardin outranks both Warner and Kaine in the Senate.

This attempt to try to change to the GSA decision has no legal basis and really no basis. It's about as logical as the "Stop the Steal" campaign. The "shadyness" of her former employment with WMATA was discussed in 2021. The administrator of the GSA, Robin Carnaghan, addressed it and said there was no issue. If Virginia and Christopher Wray were going to whine about that, they should have addressed this back in 2021 when Administrator Carnaghan declared that there was no conflict of interest. They had 2.5 years to object, but they only did so after the decision was made. Wray does not want to move out of DC. And the Virginia delegation wants to "Stop the Steal" with just as much legal balderdash as the MAGA conspiracy theorists.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/Enclosure%201.2%20-%20N.Albert_Authorization%20Memo_7.6.21.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

You really don't know how the government works. The agencies do not get to make the decision about where they will be allocated buildings or real estate. It's like requesting a budget from Congress. POTUS can request the best or optimal budget, they can even have an OPM study that supports that they need the funding. But Congress will haggle and negotiate and end up with something completely different. Because Congress is in charge of the purse strings and they decide what appropriations are granted, regardless of whatever justification the President requests for his executive agencies.

Likewise, the FBI can request and the GSA does a study that recommends something. But the administration of the GSA does not have the follow the recommendation, and didn't in this case. But like Congress controls the purse strings, GSA controls the real estate. There is nothing that either Congress or the FBI can do about this. And even if there is an IG investigation, neither the Congressional investigation nor the IG investigation can change the decision by the GSA administrator, who signed off on the final decision.

Congress and the IG will waste time, but they cannot change this decision. It has been made and it will stay in Greenbelt. The only thing that all this does is delay when the project will start and delay the inevitable; that the FBI HQ will be built in Greenbelt as decided by the GSA.

You’re wrong. Congress can very easily change this decision by stipulating how money for a new FBI headquarters can and cannot be spent. And given how this issue has already become a political football (beyond MD v. VA), I anticipate fights ahead on Capitol Hill.

As much as you might want it, it is not “inevitable” that the HQ will be built in Greenbelt.

Not going to happen. Steny Hoyer significantly outranks both Mark Warner and Tim Kaine in the Democratic leadership (he's the former Whip). He has seniority and ranking. He may not be minority whip any longer, but he still has the political clout to ensure that the Congressional investigation gets dropped before it gets anywhere. Hoyer is not going to allow the Congress to force the location to Virginia.

No matter how much Virginians want this to be changed, there isn't really a viable path to changing the decision that the GSA has made and which Hoyer agrees with.

All of this, just adding that Hoyer was the Whip and then became the Majority Leader while Pelosi was Speaker.

And if there is going to be a squabble in Congress about funding this, it’s going to be among the Republicans. Gaetz and other similar crazies have said they don’t want to fund a new FBI HQ anywhere since the FBI has been investigating their god king.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

You really don't know how the government works. The agencies do not get to make the decision about where they will be allocated buildings or real estate. It's like requesting a budget from Congress. POTUS can request the best or optimal budget, they can even have an OPM study that supports that they need the funding. But Congress will haggle and negotiate and end up with something completely different. Because Congress is in charge of the purse strings and they decide what appropriations are granted, regardless of whatever justification the President requests for his executive agencies.

Likewise, the FBI can request and the GSA does a study that recommends something. But the administration of the GSA does not have the follow the recommendation, and didn't in this case. But like Congress controls the purse strings, GSA controls the real estate. There is nothing that either Congress or the FBI can do about this. And even if there is an IG investigation, neither the Congressional investigation nor the IG investigation can change the decision by the GSA administrator, who signed off on the final decision.

Congress and the IG will waste time, but they cannot change this decision. It has been made and it will stay in Greenbelt. The only thing that all this does is delay when the project will start and delay the inevitable; that the FBI HQ will be built in Greenbelt as decided by the GSA.

You’re wrong. Congress can very easily change this decision by stipulating how money for a new FBI headquarters can and cannot be spent. And given how this issue has already become a political football (beyond MD v. VA), I anticipate fights ahead on Capitol Hill.

As much as you might want it, it is not “inevitable” that the HQ will be built in Greenbelt.

Not going to happen. Steny Hoyer significantly outranks both Mark Warner and Tim Kaine in the Democratic leadership (he's the former Whip). He has seniority and ranking. He may not be minority whip any longer, but he still has the political clout to ensure that the Congressional investigation gets dropped before it gets anywhere. Hoyer is not going to allow the Congress to force the location to Virginia.

No matter how much Virginians want this to be changed, there isn't really a viable path to changing the decision that the GSA has made and which Hoyer agrees with.

Sorry, not Warner and Kaine (who are Virginia Senators).

But Hoyer outranks the entire Virginia delegation (none of whom really have much clout).
And Cardin outranks both Warner and Kaine in the Senate.

This attempt to try to change to the GSA decision has no legal basis and really no basis. It's about as logical as the "Stop the Steal" campaign. The "shadyness" of her former employment with WMATA was discussed in 2021. The administrator of the GSA, Robin Carnaghan, addressed it and said there was no issue. If Virginia and Christopher Wray were going to whine about that, they should have addressed this back in 2021 when Administrator Carnaghan declared that there was no conflict of interest. They had 2.5 years to object, but they only did so after the decision was made. Wray does not want to move out of DC. And the Virginia delegation wants to "Stop the Steal" with just as much legal balderdash as the MAGA conspiracy theorists.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/Enclosure%201.2%20-%20N.Albert_Authorization%20Memo_7.6.21.pdf

Wray doesn't want to move out of DC but any choice will happen after he's gone - so that's immaterial. Wray wants what's best for his agency. Nothing more. He's not political. He's just skeptical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

You really don't know how the government works. The agencies do not get to make the decision about where they will be allocated buildings or real estate. It's like requesting a budget from Congress. POTUS can request the best or optimal budget, they can even have an OPM study that supports that they need the funding. But Congress will haggle and negotiate and end up with something completely different. Because Congress is in charge of the purse strings and they decide what appropriations are granted, regardless of whatever justification the President requests for his executive agencies.

Likewise, the FBI can request and the GSA does a study that recommends something. But the administration of the GSA does not have the follow the recommendation, and didn't in this case. But like Congress controls the purse strings, GSA controls the real estate. There is nothing that either Congress or the FBI can do about this. And even if there is an IG investigation, neither the Congressional investigation nor the IG investigation can change the decision by the GSA administrator, who signed off on the final decision.

Congress and the IG will waste time, but they cannot change this decision. It has been made and it will stay in Greenbelt. The only thing that all this does is delay when the project will start and delay the inevitable; that the FBI HQ will be built in Greenbelt as decided by the GSA.

You’re wrong. Congress can very easily change this decision by stipulating how money for a new FBI headquarters can and cannot be spent. And given how this issue has already become a political football (beyond MD v. VA), I anticipate fights ahead on Capitol Hill.

As much as you might want it, it is not “inevitable” that the HQ will be built in Greenbelt.

Not going to happen. Steny Hoyer significantly outranks both Mark Warner and Tim Kaine in the Democratic leadership (he's the former Whip). He has seniority and ranking. He may not be minority whip any longer, but he still has the political clout to ensure that the Congressional investigation gets dropped before it gets anywhere. Hoyer is not going to allow the Congress to force the location to Virginia.

No matter how much Virginians want this to be changed, there isn't really a viable path to changing the decision that the GSA has made and which Hoyer agrees with.

All of this, just adding that Hoyer was the Whip and then became the Majority Leader while Pelosi was Speaker.

And if there is going to be a squabble in Congress about funding this, it’s going to be among the Republicans. Gaetz and other similar crazies have said they don’t want to fund a new FBI HQ anywhere since the FBI has been investigating their god king.

This. Whiny, copium, Virginians have 2 choices: (1) build in Greenbelt, or (2) have no new building at all by aligning w/ Gaetz, Trump, MTG, and other nutjobs in Congress.

The FBI HQ is in Greenbelt

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

You really don't know how the government works. The agencies do not get to make the decision about where they will be allocated buildings or real estate. It's like requesting a budget from Congress. POTUS can request the best or optimal budget, they can even have an OPM study that supports that they need the funding. But Congress will haggle and negotiate and end up with something completely different. Because Congress is in charge of the purse strings and they decide what appropriations are granted, regardless of whatever justification the President requests for his executive agencies.

Likewise, the FBI can request and the GSA does a study that recommends something. But the administration of the GSA does not have the follow the recommendation, and didn't in this case. But like Congress controls the purse strings, GSA controls the real estate. There is nothing that either Congress or the FBI can do about this. And even if there is an IG investigation, neither the Congressional investigation nor the IG investigation can change the decision by the GSA administrator, who signed off on the final decision.

Congress and the IG will waste time, but they cannot change this decision. It has been made and it will stay in Greenbelt. The only thing that all this does is delay when the project will start and delay the inevitable; that the FBI HQ will be built in Greenbelt as decided by the GSA.

You’re wrong. Congress can very easily change this decision by stipulating how money for a new FBI headquarters can and cannot be spent. And given how this issue has already become a political football (beyond MD v. VA), I anticipate fights ahead on Capitol Hill.

As much as you might want it, it is not “inevitable” that the HQ will be built in Greenbelt.

Not going to happen. Steny Hoyer significantly outranks both Mark Warner and Tim Kaine in the Democratic leadership (he's the former Whip). He has seniority and ranking. He may not be minority whip any longer, but he still has the political clout to ensure that the Congressional investigation gets dropped before it gets anywhere. Hoyer is not going to allow the Congress to force the location to Virginia.

No matter how much Virginians want this to be changed, there isn't really a viable path to changing the decision that the GSA has made and which Hoyer agrees with.

This is not how Congress works. No house member “outranks” a Senator. Also, prior party leadership positions in one chamber are irrelevant to exercising current power and certainly completely irrelevant to other chambers.

There is also very limited power that other Senators have over each other, so the idea that Cardin somehow “outranks” Kaine or Warner is equally silly. This is evidenced by the fact that there is a former football coach currently holding up all military promotions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can name call and try and put down arguments they don’t agree with, but the fact of the matter is there are legitimate questions about how GSA handled itself during this process.

I’ll be interested to see what surfaces.

- MD resident

As an employee of the Public Buildings Service, this was a closely scrutinized process, there was no corrupt practices involved, our lawyers reviewed the decision thoroughly, and the Director of the FBI does not have authority to overrule or influence the decision. This will die down in 3 or so months when public attention focuses on something more interesting than federal procurement of buildings.

-VA resident

Okay, so why change the pick to the more problematic (wetlands) site from the better-located (proximity to Quantico etc.) site? It's inexplicable.

Cost and schedule. Remember the Greenbelt site was the original one selected. The reports people are posting are merely recommendations to inform decisions by political appointees. If you have a problem with it, elect a Republican.

But no, those were not the reasons given in the final decision.

You're just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.

Yes, those are the reasons given.

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/FBI%20HQ%20Site%20Selection%20Decision.pdf

Page 3
I. OVERVIEW For the reasons set forth below, in my role as the Site Selection Authority (“SSA”), I have selected the Greenbelt site as the most advantageous location for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Suburban Headquarters (“Suburban HQ”). This Site Selection Decision documents my analysis and judgment as the SSA and constitutes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) final determination.

Page 37
D. Site Selection Decision I have determined that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for all of the detailed reasons set forth above. I summarize here the reasons that Greenbelt is the most advantageous site for the Government for the new Suburban HQ:
● Greenbelt is the most transit accessible site, which is favorable for daily commuting of FBI employees and ease of access for contractors, visitors, and key partners that need to work with the FBI;
● Greenbelt provides the greatest schedule certainty, which is of significant importance to this project: (i) the condition of JEH is deteriorating and has an impact on the safety of FBI employees and mission of the FBI; and (ii) the requirement to maintain JEH until it is vacated, plus project cost escalation related to schedule delay, has an impact to taxpayers;
● Greenbelt offers the greatest opportunity for the Government’s investment to positively impact the Washington region through sustainable and equitable development; and
● Greenbelt has the lowest overall cost to taxpayers.

She literally said that Cost (bullet #4) and Schedule (bullet #2) were 2 of the four reasons that she decided Greenbelt was the better location.

But the Director of the FBI has indicated there was malfeasance in selecting Maryland, so there must now be an FBI investigation, meaning the project is on hold.

And Virginia will be the new site once MD is disqualified following the investigation.

You really don't know how the government works. The agencies do not get to make the decision about where they will be allocated buildings or real estate. It's like requesting a budget from Congress. POTUS can request the best or optimal budget, they can even have an OPM study that supports that they need the funding. But Congress will haggle and negotiate and end up with something completely different. Because Congress is in charge of the purse strings and they decide what appropriations are granted, regardless of whatever justification the President requests for his executive agencies.

Likewise, the FBI can request and the GSA does a study that recommends something. But the administration of the GSA does not have the follow the recommendation, and didn't in this case. But like Congress controls the purse strings, GSA controls the real estate. There is nothing that either Congress or the FBI can do about this. And even if there is an IG investigation, neither the Congressional investigation nor the IG investigation can change the decision by the GSA administrator, who signed off on the final decision.

Congress and the IG will waste time, but they cannot change this decision. It has been made and it will stay in Greenbelt. The only thing that all this does is delay when the project will start and delay the inevitable; that the FBI HQ will be built in Greenbelt as decided by the GSA.

You’re wrong. Congress can very easily change this decision by stipulating how money for a new FBI headquarters can and cannot be spent. And given how this issue has already become a political football (beyond MD v. VA), I anticipate fights ahead on Capitol Hill.

As much as you might want it, it is not “inevitable” that the HQ will be built in Greenbelt.

Not going to happen. Steny Hoyer significantly outranks both Mark Warner and Tim Kaine in the Democratic leadership (he's the former Whip). He has seniority and ranking. He may not be minority whip any longer, but he still has the political clout to ensure that the Congressional investigation gets dropped before it gets anywhere. Hoyer is not going to allow the Congress to force the location to Virginia.

No matter how much Virginians want this to be changed, there isn't really a viable path to changing the decision that the GSA has made and which Hoyer agrees with.

This is not how Congress works. No house member “outranks” a Senator. Also, prior party leadership positions in one chamber are irrelevant to exercising current power and certainly completely irrelevant to other chambers.

There is also very limited power that other Senators have over each other, so the idea that Cardin somehow “outranks” Kaine or Warner is equally silly. This is evidenced by the fact that there is a former football coach currently holding up all military promotions.

Doubt that VA's delegation is going to launch a giant investigation into Biden's GSA appointees during an election year. Unless they decide to team up with MAGA.

If concocting crazy scenarios for the FBI HQ in VA is what makes you feel better about this decision, have at it. But you should know these scenarios are crazy and will not happen. In a decade, your kids will know that CIA is in Langley, NSA is in Fort Meade, and FBI is in Greenbelt.