Van Hollen Statement on FBI Headquarters, CJS Appropriations Markup

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), released the following statement on the Appropriations Committee markup of the CJS funding bill:

“Last week the Trump Administration notified the Congress of its intent to poach funding intended for the new, competitively-selected FBI Headquarters in Greenbelt, Maryland, in order to permanently relocate the Bureau within the Ronald Reagan Building. This unauthorized use of funds is directly at odds with what has been passed by the Congress on a bipartisan basis and sets a dangerous precedent for executive overreach into Congress’s power of the purse. The Administration has also not provided any information around the total cost of the project or whether it will meet the Bureau’s security needs. That’s why I was pleased the Appropriations Committee passed my amendment on a bipartisan basis to prohibit the Administration from using these funds for any purpose other than the relocation of the headquarters to Greenbelt, Maryland. While I was disappointed that ultimately the Committee did not move to final passage of the CJS funding bill, I will continue working with my colleagues to come to an agreement to protect Congress’s intent for the use of these funds.”