WASHINGTON — Republicans on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee are renewing a push that would see the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters relocated to Huntsville, despite a recent controversial decision to locate it in Maryland.
A bipartisan group of legislators are calling for an Inspector General investigation into the recent decision to put the new headquarters in Maryland instead of Virginia. This has caused some lawmakers to renew calls to instead move the headquarters to the Rocket City. The FBI has a presence at Redstone Arsenal and a new facility will soon be home to some 4,000 employees.
RELATED: Could FBI’s Redstone ‘HQ2’ replace D.C. office?
“Frankly if it goes anywhere it should go to Huntsville,” U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan said during a hearing least week, “where they already got all kinds of land, all kinds of space, and all kinds of operations.”
Jordan (R-Ohio), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, has been pushing for weeks the idea of moving the location to Huntsville because he believes it needs to be relocated away from the D.C. “swamp.”
The FBI wants a new headquarters. Republicans shouldn’t vote to give them a dime for it.
In fact, they should move the FBI out of the Swamp entirely.
Huntsville, Alabama would work.
The FBI already considers it a second HQ and it has a landing strip for Wray’s private jet.
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) November 14, 2023
Jordan got some support from U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), who also sits on the House Judiciary Committee.
I voted against funding for a new FBI headquarters.
We should take them out of the swamp and put them back in touch with real America — sweet home Alabama. https://t.co/0TSOHAaoQc
— Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) November 14, 2023
The GOP House Judiciary X page has also put out several posts pushing the idea in recent days.
Huntsville, Alabama. pic.twitter.com/7211gh9QIJ
— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) November 15, 2023
One of their posts cited the latest survey from U.S. News and World Report placing Huntsville in the number 2 spot for best places to live in the country.
Huntsville, Alabama. The Second-Best Place to Live in the USA!
Why wouldn't the FBI want its headquarters there? pic.twitter.com/ilgmq96iHD
— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) November 15, 2023
They also posted a picture of FBI Director Christopher Wray surveying Redstone Arsenal.
📸 Director Wray surveying the Bureau’s Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
The perfect spot for the FBI’s headquarters. pic.twitter.com/LqFDKyU6YQ
— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) November 15, 2023
Democratic members of the committee are largely against the idea.
“Our distinguished colleague Mr. Jordan seems to have made a career in trying to disassemble the FBI,” U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said. “He wants the FBI headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama apparently.”
Swampy Democrats like @RepRaskin want to keep the FBI in the Washington, D.C. area because they are afraid of moving the Bureau to REAL AMERICA.
Aka: Huntsville, Alabama. pic.twitter.com/Q7reKr1abq
— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) November 14, 2023
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