Van Hollen wins first budget skirmish to hold onto Maryland FBI headquarters

Sen. Chris Van Hollen fought back against the Trump administration’s plans to keep the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., by hitting them right where the money is — in Congress. For the moment, he won.

The Senate’s budget committee approved Van Hollen’s amendment Thursday on a 15-14 vote to prevent the Trump administration from using dedicated funds for the FBI relocation if the agency is moved anywhere but Greenbelt.

But the committee cut its meeting short before finishing work on the spending bill that contains the FBI money — meaning the decision could be reversed later. Congress has until Sept. 30 to finalize spending and cuts.

The Democrat’s first punch sparked bipartisan debate on how the panel will use its constitutional power no matter who sits in the White House.

The senior senator serves on the Appropriations Committee and has pledged along with the rest of Maryland’s Democrats to preserve plans for the FBI to move to Greenbelt. The federal government chose the Prince George’s County suburb because it met key mission and security requirements.

Van Hollen cautioned his fellow appropriators that allowing the executive branch to overturn Congress’ decision could set a precedent, no matter who is president.

“FBI building today, projects in any other state tomorrow,” he said.

Earlier this month, President Trump announced his plan to house the agency in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in D.C after previously signaling he opposed moving the headquarters to “liberal” Maryland.

FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement that the Ronald Reagan Building was “the most cost effective and resource efficient way to carry out our mission to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution.”

The Reagan building is owned by the federal government and sits less than a half-mile from the FBI’s current home base, the aging J. Edgar Hoover Building.

Republicans on the committee supportive of Trump’s agenda pushed back on Van Hollen’s amendment. Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma said the FBI were the experts on what they needed.

The decision to move to Greenbelt was made with input from the FBI under the Biden administration.

Alaska’s Sen. Lisa Murkowski proposed Van Hollen withdraw his amendment and ask for a briefing on the FBI’s decision. He declined, adding it is not the job of Congress to assess a site. She eventually voted for the measure.

Van Hollen is a minority leader on the budget subcommittee responsible for overseeing the FBI’s budget.

In her opening remarks, Committee Vice Chair Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat of Washington state, urged her Republican colleagues to retain their spending authority and resist upcoming plans to cut funds the committee had already appropriated. Ceding to the whims of the executive branch would weaken their power, she said.

“If we start passing partisan cuts to bipartisan deals, how are we ever supposed to work together?” she asked.