Having two headquarters would reduce the risk of a single point of failure or attack and allow for more efficient use of resources and space. It would also provide redundancy and backup for critical systems, personnel and information. It would enhance the FBI’s ability to respond to emergencies and threats, collaborate with other federal agencies and local partners, and continue essential functions during a wide range of crises.
Additionally, having a split headquarters would use geography as an advantage to address the transportation challenges and traffic congestion that affect Maryland and Virginia.It would allow for faster and easier mobility of FBI personnel across jurisdictions, especially in times of high demand. It would also reduce travel time and costs for FBI employees and visitors.
Moreover, bifurcating the headquarters would reflect equity by creating more opportunities for economic development and job creation in both states.
The General Services Administration has identified three sites that meet its criteria for cost, security, accessibility and mission: Greenbelt and Landover in Maryland and Springfield in Virginia. Having two FBI headquarters locations would be a win-win solution for our region and for the nation.
Michael Ravnitzky, Silver Spring
Regarding the decision to change the criteria for relocating FBI headquarters, the General Services Administration should remember Three Mile Island. At the time of that accident, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (where I used to work) was scattered in many offices in D.C. and Maryland. A lesson learned was that the incident response was affected by the staff dispersement and time traveling among offices. Congress subsequently approved NRC consolidation in Rockville.
The GSA should not make the mistake of building a new headquarters farther away from Quantico, Va., and hinder the FBI’s ability to respond to a future national security incident.
