New Senate GOP coronavirus bill includes unrelated White House demand for FBI headquarters money
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/27
$1.75 billion provision is not connected to the pandemic response but reflects Trump’s ongoing interest in a new downtown FBI building.
July 27, 2020 at 6:52 p.m. CDT
Under intense White House pressure, Senate Republicans agreed Monday to allocate $1.75 billion in their coronavirus relief bill toward the construction of a new D.C. headquarters for the FBI.
But top Senate Republicans immediately began distancing themselves from the provision after it was made public, saying they weren’t sure why the White House repeatedly insisted on putting it in the bill.
In calling for a new “Washington, DC headquarters facility,” the provision reflects President Trump’s ongoing interest in building a new headquarters for the FBI downtown, rather than a secure campus in the suburbs that was envisioned before he took office.
At a news conference Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) initially denied that the FBI money was in the bill, but then was notified by reporters that the language was in fact included.
“You’ll have to ask them why they insisted that be included,” he told reporters, referring to the White House...................................................
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President Trump arrives for an event about “Operation Legend: Combating Violent Crime in American Cities” in the White House last week. Trump has repeatedly pushed to build a new FBI headquarters downtown. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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.........................Democrats were sharply critical of the White House’s demand. “They managed to have enough money for $2 billion for the FBI headquarters that benefits Trump hotel and they say they have no money for food assistance,” said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). “What the heck is going on?”
When the White House first proposed inserting money on the FBI building in the legislation and conditioning it on keeping the headquarters in Washington, Republican lawmakers blocked it from being in the bill, people familiar with the discussions said. But White House officials persisted in demanding the money and it ended up back in the legislation.
“As President Trump has said, the FBI desperately needs a new building and this measure provides critical funding for this project that would keep the building responsibly near the Department of Justice,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said.
