Press Releases

 U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today demanded answers from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) after the Trump administration announced that it plans to displace the National Science Foundation (NSF) – located in Alexandria – in order to relocate the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is currently located in Washington, D.C.

“The Commonwealth of Virginia has the workforce, infrastructure, and resources to serve as home for any federal agency including the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); however, the decision to bring HUD to Virginia should not come at the expense of roughly 1,800 NSF employees already being housed at the proposed site for the new HUD headquarters. This decision seems to have been made without meaningful consultation of all impacted stakeholders and shows a lack of regard for NSF, its mission, and its workforce,” wrote the lawmakers.

“The National Science Foundation was established by Congress in 1950 to ensure the United States’ global leadership in innovation by supporting basic research and education through competitive awards and partnerships. Since its founding, NSF has received bipartisan support for its mission advancing U.S. technological competitiveness, strategic capabilities, and national security,” they continued. “The Alexandria headquarters was designed with the specifications and technology necessary for NSF to promote American science and national security. Given HUD’s sudden announcement that it will be moving into the building, roughly 1,800 NSF employees – many of whom are Virginia residents – are now displaced with no information regarding the future of their work.”

In the letter, the lawmakers also requested detailed answers and subsequent documentation by July 11 to a series of question regarding the GSA’s decision-making process, projected costs, and the extent of its communication and coordination with NSF and HUD. They also requested more information about plans to accommodate the affected NSF employees who do critical work on behalf of the nation.

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Acting Administrator Ehikian:

We write to express our serious concern regarding the recent announcement that the National Science Foundation (NSF) will be displaced from its current headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia has the workforce, infrastructure, and resources to serve as home for any federal agency including the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); however, the decision to bring HUD to Virginia should not come at the expense of roughly 1,800 NSF employees already being housed at the proposed site for the new HUD headquarters. This decision seems to have been made without meaningful consultation of all impacted stakeholders and shows a lack of regard for NSF, its mission, and its workforce. To that end, we are requesting information on the General Services Administration’s (GSA) process for approving the move, and on plans for the roughly 1,800 NSF employees who currently work in NSF’s Alexandria headquarters.

The National Science Foundation was established by Congress in 1950 to ensure the United States’ global leadership in innovation by supporting basic research and education through competitive awards and partnerships. Since its founding, NSF has received bipartisan support for its mission advancing U.S. technological competitiveness, strategic capabilities, and national security. For example, in 2022, Congress passed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, which doubled NSF’s budget over five years, strengthened fundamental research and security, and created the Technology, Innovation and Partnerships directorate – NSF’s first new directorate in over 30 years.

In 2017, the National Science Foundation moved its headquarters from Ballston, Virginia to its current location in Alexandria, Virginia. The Alexandria headquarters was designed with the specifications and technology necessary for NSF to promote American science and national security. Given HUD’s sudden announcement that it will be moving into the building, roughly 1,800 NSF employees – many of whom are Virginia residents – are now displaced with no information regarding the future of their work.

As such, we respectfully request that you respond to this letter with detailed answers, accompanied by documentation sufficient to substantiate those answers, to the following questions by July 11, 2025:

• When did GSA begin its assessment of “utilization of space and occupancy” at NSF headquarters?
• Describe the process used to determine that NSF was not “fully” utilizing its office space.
  • When was the final determination made that NSF was not “fully” utilizing its office space?
• Was NSF consulted during GSA’s assessment?
  • If so, list the officials at NSF who were consulted, and the means by which their input was collected.
• When was HUD made aware that it would be moving into NSF’s headquarters?
  • Was HUD consulted during GSA’s assessment?
  • If so, list the officials at HUD who were consulted, and the means by which their input was collected.
• On what date will NSF employees be required to leave their offices and vacate the building?
• Have locations been identified for NSF employees to work if they are removed from their offices?
• Provide information on the locations where NSF employees will work if they are removed from their offices.
• Has there been any assessment of how the moves could affect the respective workforces of NSF and HUD?
  • If so, describe the plans for continuity of workforce at both NSF and HUD resulting from this move.
• Has there been any assessment of how the moves could affect critical functions of HUD and NSF, including HUD loans and NSF grant reviews?
  • If so, describe the plans for continuity of services for constituents at both NSF and HUD resulting from this move.
• Provide any cost estimates prepared for and used to determine the cost of moving both NSF and HUD workforces.
• Describe any modifications necessary, contemplated, or planned to be made to the current NSF headquarters building needed to accommodate the HUD Secretary and workforce.
• Describe the process by which GSA is identifying a new headquarters for NSF.
  • What is the timeline for any planned move to a new NSF headquarters?
• What measures are being taken to secure American’s personally identifiable information (PII) at NSF and HUD during the transition?

We appreciate your thoughtful consideration of this matter and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,