Statement of Aisha N. Braveboy, County Executive, On Decision to Restore the FBI Headquarters to Greenbelt

We applaud today’s decision from the United States District Court for Maryland to overturn the Trump Administration’s illegal attempt to take the FBI Headquarters away from Greenbelt, Maryland.  Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland won a decade long competition to be the host site for the FBI HQ in the National Capital Region.  Greenbelt won the competition fair and square.  After the game was over, the Trump Administration changed the rules and picked the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC as the site of the new FBI HQ.  The Court ruled that the decision to cancel the selection of Greenbelt and select the Ronald Reagan Building was unlawful under the Administrative Procedure Act.  The court not only overturned the unlawful selection of the Ronald Reagan Building, but also prohibited the federal government from using $555,000,0000 in FBI funds to relocate to, renovate, build-out and furnish the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC to serve as the new FBI HQ.

“Today’s decision is fundamentally about jobs and opportunity for Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland.  The FBI HQ project will be the single largest economic development project in the history of Prince George’s County. It is estimated to create over 7,500 jobs and add approximately $4 billion to the GDP of the County and State. If you look at the history of economic development in the Metro DC region, landing a major federal agency like the FBI has been the catalyst for significant economic development. Prince George’s County simply wants the opportunity to reap the economic benefits that would flow from locating the FBI HQ in Greenbelt.  Today’s decision will help us get there.”

Michael Ashe
Chief of Staff for Prince George's County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy