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After demanding to see their findings, Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01) today viewed critical documents from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) which justify that the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) is the better option for the State Department to conduct foreign affairs security training as opposed to constructing a new Foreign Affairs Training Center (FAST-C) at Fort Pickett in Blackstone, Virginia. The State Department plans to construct a FAST-C training center in Virginia at a cost of $461 million instead of expanding and utilizing the Department of Homeland Security’s FLETC to provide State Department diplomatic security training, as is currently taking place, at half the price.

The OMB report viewed by Carter today reviewed construction costs, training, location and synergies, construction schedule, life support services, and provided a final opinion.  The final opinion of OMB in this report recommends moving forward with construction at FLETC as opposed to Fort Pickett. The report also raises concerns that the estimated cost of the Fort Pickett site will rise beyond the estimated $461 million.

“OMB has now confirmed what we have known all along,” Carter said. “The Administration agrees that FLETC is the better option to conduct foreign affairs security training. The report I viewed today provides a clear justification that FLETC can accommodate this training at a much lower cost than the Fort Pickett plan.”

In 2013, the OMB examined the two proposals. Since then, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs was made aware that OMB analysts had completed a written analysis recommending that the State Department pursue its diplomatic security training at FLETC. While Congress has gone to many measures to see this report, including a subpoena, OMB continued to stonewall Congress and failed to provide their findings while the State Department announced they would move forward with construction at Fort Pickett.

“It is blatantly clear now why the Administration has been stonewalling Congress by keeping this report under wraps,” Carter said. “The Administration clearly believed that if they kept this report a secret they would be able to move forward with a politically motivated plan that wastes hundreds of millions of precious taxpayer dollars. Well, the truth is out now and there is no longer room for debate. The State Department has no justification to move forward with the Fort Pickett plan and I will do everything in my power to ensure their politically motivated plan is put to a halt. The State Department can no longer hide behind OMB’s stonewalling tactics. The Obama Administration has found themselves that FLETC is the better option and they now need to devote their efforts and resources on training diplomatic security at FLETC rather than continuing to waste time with other options.”

Background:

In 2013, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) submitted a proposal to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to service State’s training needs by augmenting the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), in Brunswick, Ga., which provides security training for DHS and 91 federal partner organizations, including the State Department, as well as state and local law enforcement agencies. In its 2013 proposal to OMB, DHS included the construction of new buildings, weapons ranges, and transportation costs to meet the requirements of State’s original FAST-C master plan.  FLETC estimated that this new construction would cost $287 million. By leveraging its existing facilities to meet State’s training needs, FLETC estimates its proposal could also achieve significant cost savings over the long term.

The State Department proposed to construct the FAST-C facility in Virginia at a cost of $461 million. However, the State Department’s initial estimate of $950 million suggests there is an almost certain likelihood of cost escalation beyond the current $461 million proposal during construction.

In late 2013, OMB examined the FLETC and Fort Pickett plans. At this time, Chairman Royce and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs encouraged OMB to determine which proposal addresses the State Department’s training needs in the most fiscally responsible way. The Committee also requested that the Government Accountability Office perform an independent analysis of the proposals in September 2014.

The Committee was then made aware that OMB analysts had completed a written analysis recommending that the State Department pursue its diplomatic security training at FLETC. However, in April 2014, the Administration confirmed that it planned to adopt the State Department’s proposal to build FAST-C at Fort Pickett in Virginia instead of FLETC.

On May 19, 2014, Chairman Royce requested a copy of OMB’s analysis. After OMB failed to provide the information to Congress, Chairman Royce issued a subpoena to OMB for the documents.

After many official requests through relevant Committees, letters and phone calls, Carter viewed the OMB report today on July, 30, 2015.

Carter represents the First District of Georgia where FLETC is located. Carter is a member of the House Homeland Security Committee with direct oversight over the Department of Homeland Security and the FLETC.