There’s no polite way to say this anymore: Senator Chris Van Hollen is wasting our time, wasting our money, and endangering sound federal planning by trying to block the FBI from moving into the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C.
Van Hollen’s amendment—squeaking through the Senate Appropriations Committee by a narrow 15-14 vote—seeks to freeze funding unless the FBI sticks to the outdated and ill-conceived plan to move to Greenbelt, Maryland. That plan, which has been floating around for more than a decade, was originally pitched in an entirely different federal workforce era—before hybrid work, before budget tightening, and before security threats shifted toward soft targets inside our urban cores.
Let’s step back and assess this like grown-ups.
The FBI is a vital national security agency that needs to remain plugged into the heart of our federal government. Its agents work hand-in-hand with the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Pentagon—agencies headquartered right here in the nation’s capital. What sense does it make to banish the FBI to a suburban outpost more than 10 miles away from the very people and institutions it must coordinate with daily?
Senator Van Hollen’s justification is that it would “set a bad precedent” for the executive branch to shift previously approved funds to a more practical site. But that’s a smokescreen. The real concern here isn’t about process—it’s about pork. He’s trying to hold the federal government hostage to deliver a political win for Maryland.
We’ve seen this movie before: politicians promising economic development and job creation by relocating government agencies to their home turf. But here’s what they never talk about: the long-term cost to the taxpayer, the headaches for employees, and the ripple effects on traffic, public transit, and local infrastructure. Greenbelt is already home to USDA’s research operations, NOAA’s climate services, the Army Corps of Engineers, and NASA Goddard. It’s one of the most congested federal clusters on the East Coast—and Senator Van Hollen wants to dump thousands more FBI employees into that already-strained zone.
Let’s talk logistics.
Greenbelt sits on the I-95/I-495 Beltway corridor, one of the worst commuting bottlenecks in the country. The Metro’s Green Line, which serves the area, is unreliable and already packed during rush hour. The roads in and out are in no way prepared to absorb the wave of daily traffic a new FBI headquarters would bring. The result? More congestion, longer commutes, and less productivity—all to satisfy the political vanity of a few lawmakers.
And then there’s the price tag.
Building a new FBI headquarters from scratch—complete with top-tier security infrastructure, hardened perimeters, and specialized technology—is a multibillion-dollar endeavor. The Ronald Reagan Building, on the other hand, is a state-of-the-art federal complex with available space, modern security systems, and prime real estate on Pennsylvania Avenue—mere blocks from the DOJ and other key partners. Moving the FBI there would save enormous amounts of time, money, and bureaucratic pain.
So why the resistance?
Some people in Washington are still clinging to old political deals rather than adapting to new fiscal realities. The Greenbelt plan was a product of the Obama-era GSA process, born out of a tug-of-war between Maryland and Virginia over who could lure the FBI with the best incentives and real estate packages. That battle has raged for over a decade with no resolution, and it has cost taxpayers dearly.
Now, the Trump administration has proposed a cleaner, smarter solution: keep the FBI downtown, at a secure federal facility that already exists, and reinvest the savings in national security and public safety priorities. It’s not a Republican idea or a Democratic idea. It’s a common-sense idea.
But Senator Van Hollen would rather block this plan than admit that the old plan was flawed. He’s even managed to rally Senate Democrats behind him, with only one Republican—Senator Lisa Murkowski—joining the obstruction effort.
Here’s what Senator Van Hollen should be asking: What’s best for the FBI? What’s best for national security? And what’s best for the American taxpayer?
Spoiler alert: the answer isn’t building a shiny new headquarters in a congested Maryland suburb to appease local political interests. The answer is reusing what we already have, staying close to the core of our federal operations, and sparing the taxpayer the burden of another bloated federal construction project.
It’s time to get out of the way.
I respect that Senator Van Hollen wants to deliver for his state. Every senator does. But leadership sometimes means telling your constituents that a flashy win isn’t worth the long-term cost. Leadership means putting the country before the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
We’ve delayed this project long enough. The FBI needs a new home, and we already have one ready to go. Stop the games. Stop the waste. Let’s move the FBI to the Reagan Building and get back to protecting America.
ENDNOTES
Senate Appropriations Committee Vote – On July 11, 2025, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an amendment by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) by a 15–14 vote. The amendment restricts the reallocation of funds originally approved for a new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt, MD. Source: [Senate Committee Summary, July 2025].
GSA Selection Process – The General Services Administration (GSA) selected Greenbelt, MD, as the preferred site for the new FBI headquarters in 2023 after a 15-year deliberation process involving multiple sites in Maryland and Virginia. Critics have cited concerns over transparency and political influence in the site selection process. Source: [GSA Public Records, 2023].
Reagan Building Location – The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center is a secure, federally managed facility located on Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown Washington, D.C., near the Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies. Source: [U.S. General Services Administration].
Commuting Congestion in Greenbelt – Greenbelt is currently home to multiple federal agencies including NOAA, USDA research units, and NASA Goddard. Traffic data from the Maryland Department of Transportation indicates I-495 and the Greenbelt Metro corridor as among the most congested commuter routes in the state. Source: [Maryland DOT Annual Traffic Report, 2024].
Estimated Cost of New FBI Campus – Prior Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates placed the cost of building a new FBI headquarters from scratch between $3.5 to $4.2 billion. Renovation and relocation into the Reagan Building would cost less than one-third of that figure, according to internal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) assessments. Source: [CBO & OMB Comparative Cost Analysis, 2023].
Hybrid Federal Work Trends – According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), as of 2025, over 50% of federal employees have adopted hybrid work schedules. The shift reduces demand for large physical campuses and favors existing, adaptable office space in centralized urban zones. Source: [OPM Workforce Statistics Brief, Q2 2025].
Security and Proximity Needs – Former FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized in past congressional testimony that proximity to DOJ and national security partners is essential for FBI operations. Delays or relocations that separate the FBI from D.C. undermine coordination efforts. Source: [Senate Judiciary Hearing Transcript, March 2024].
Bipartisan Criticism of Greenbelt Plan – In previous years, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers from Virginia and national security-focused committees expressed concern that the Greenbelt relocation was driven more by political considerations than operational need. Source: [Congressional Record, 2023–2024 Sessions].
Reagan Building Capacity – A 2024 audit confirmed that the Reagan Building has at least 500,000 square feet of adaptable federal office space, along with Tier 3 security features, underground parking, and established clearance protocols. Source: [GSA Building Inventory Audit, 2024].
Public Opinion on Federal Waste – A 2025 Rasmussen poll found that 67% of likely voters believe the federal government spends too much on unnecessary infrastructure projects. Source: [Rasmussen Reports, June 2025 National Survey].
