Mikulski release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
30-Nov-2009

CONTACT: Press Office
202-228-1122
Mikulski, Cardin, Kratovil: Queen Anne’s County is Preferred Site for 1,200-Acre, Job-Rich Diplomatic Training Facility

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin and Congressman Frank Kratovil (all D-Md.), today applauded the announcement by the General Services Administration (GSA) and the U.S. Department of State that the Hunt Ray Farm in Queen Anne’s County is the preferred site to build a new 1,250-acre Foreign Affairs Security Training Center.

The State Department and GSA have been considering several sites to house the Foreign Affairs Security Training Center. Senators Mikulski and Cardin and Congressman Kratovil fought hard to bring the building to Maryland. To read the letter of support that Senators Mikulski and Cardin sent in support of the Queen Anne’s site, go to: http://mikulski.senate.gov/_pdfs/Press/QACOLetter.pdf. To read Congressman Kratovil’s letter in support of the Queen Anne’s site, go to: http://kratovil.house.gov/uploads/Kratovil%20Letter%20on%20Diplomatic%20Security%20Training%20Facility.pdf

“This is a big win for Maryland. The training facility is good news for three reasons: jobs, jobs and more jobs for Maryland,” said Senator Mikulski, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. “I’m proud Queen Anne’s County has been selected to house a facility dedicated to keeping Americans abroad safe, secure, and protected.”

“The selection of the 2,000-acre site in Queen Anne’s County as the preferred location for a new State Department Diplomatic Training facility is a winner for our country and for the residents of Queen Anne’s County,” said Senator Cardin, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “This site will provide new job opportunities for residents of Queen Anne’s County and it will benefit our nation to have a consolidated embassy security training facility on the Eastern Shore near Washington, D.C. I look forward to a successful conclusion to the negotiations and the full engagement of the local community.”

“This announcement is a big win for the Eastern Shore economy,” said Rep. Frank Kratovil. “This new facility will immediately create hundreds of construction jobs and will support 500 new full-time positions once completed. The construction workers, permanent staff, and students housed at this facility will inject millions of dollars into the local economy and support small businesses throughout the area. I am also pleased that members of the community will have an opportunity to voice their opinions at public hearings as planning for this facility moves forward.”

Under the agreement reached today, the State Department will buy 2,000- acres of land in Queen Anne’s County to build a State Department Diplomatic Training facility. Up to 1,250 acres may be developed. The Foreign Affairs Security Training Center will consolidate training that is currently spread across nineteen separate facilities. The next step in this process is negotiations between the GSA and owners of the property for the acquisition of the property.

The GSA has also announced their intention to hold a public hearing/comment period to give Queen Anne’s County residents an opportunity to voice their ideas and concerns about the facility. More information will be released when it becomes available.

Every year, thousands of foreign service officers and their families move overseas to work in American embassies and consulates around the world. The Foreign Affairs Security Training Center will help them learn tips and tricks to stay safe and secure when they live and work in environments where terrorists and other bad actors would seek to harm America by harming them.

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