Hoyer Remarks at Press Conference Announcing Inclusion of $390 Million in FY16 Spending Bill for Fully Consolidated FBI Headquarters

Statement

Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) today joined U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Ben Cardin, Congresswoman Donna Edwards, and Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker (all D-Md.) to announce the inclusion of $390 million in the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) division of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 as a major down-payment to begin the initial design, engineering, and construction of a new fully-funded consolidated headquarters for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The House is expected to vote on the bill on Friday. Below is a transcript of his remarks:

"I want to congratulate Senator Mikulski. We have been so advantaged to have someone in leadership on the United States Senate Appropriations Committee -- as chairman and as ranking member -- like Barbara Mikulski, who is so focused and has worked so hard in making sure that we accomplished the objective that the FBI wants to accomplish and that the Administration wants to accomplish and certainly we want to accomplish.

"Senator Cardin and Senator Mikulsi both worked closely with Governor Hogan as well. I think that bears further application because we had a press conference together and a meeting with Governor Hogan. He is 100 percent committed to this project. Governor O'Malley, of course, dedicated resources to this project so this is a culmination of the initial effort to ensure that this project goes on the drawing board for full consolidation. We all emphasize full consolidation because partial consolidation will not achieve the ends of greater synergy for the FBI offices that will make them much more effective.

"Furthermore, I want to say to Rushern Baker: One of the reasons I think Prince George's County is in the leadership of this is because of the integrity and the attention that Rushern Baker has brought to Prince George's County. It is a county on the move. It is a county that is respected throughout the country for the programs and the policies that it offers and that is Rushern Baker's legacy. And he's not over yet, but in my opinion, Rushern, we would not be where we are without your leadership, so thank you very much for that.

"Let me say something about Prince George's County. I've been here a long time and Senator Mikulski and I have always been focused on Prince George's County and the Washington metropolitan area. Prince George's County has only four percent of the leased office space in the Washington suburbs. The smallest percentage of any county in the Washington metropolitan area. It has been overlooked too often. Now, I think it goes without saying that we have the most competitive sites for the location of the FBI consolidation and we are going to continue to press. This is a down payment. $390 million is a lot of money and frankly without Senator Mikulski, we wouldn't have gotten it. But, it is a down payment making sure we proceed and proceed quickly to accomplish the completion of this project and I know working together that we will get that done.

"Senator Mikulski, thank you; Senator Cardin, Congresswoman Edwards for your words about Rushern. We know that and we are very proud of the fact with integrity, intellect, and drive, that you {Rushern Baker} have brought to Prince George's County has made a difference, is making a difference, and is going to make a difference in this project as well, so thank you very much. And now I will yield to my colleague. She and I represent Prince George's County together and we are very proud of Prince George's County, Donna Edwards."

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