Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-26
ChavezUrges
Review ofCIA
Site
Asks GSA TO Supply
Dutu on Property
Vacant in District

oo Wv ~PSttJ
Vacant in District
Senator Chavez, Democrat of
New Mexico. proposed today that
there be a review of plans Of the
Central Intelligence Agency to
build its new home upstream on
the Potomac River at Langley, Va.
He said it is possible the build
ling could be put up in the Dis
trict.
AS one of the key members of
the Senate Appropriations Com
mittee and as chairman of the
Senate Public Works Committee,
he was protesting growing idea
among Government agency
people to buy more and more
Hand" outside the District for
new agency headquarters.
Senator Chavez said he wants
to preserve the general basic
plan of the District as the seat
Iof the Federal Government.
The subject bobbed up yes
Iterday in the Senate when Sena-
tor StenniS, an Appropriations
Committee member. took the
floor to protest the GAS request
for an additional $40 million for
its Langley home. This would
be in addition to an authorize
Ition given by Congress last year
for that site at an estimated
cost of $46 million.
Sees Too Much Spending
eve are beginning to wonder
where it will end" he said. I'VE
ARE spending too much money
Senator Chavez Public Works
Committee has been sitting on
lease-purchase projects sub
United to House and Senate
committees for various projects
under which private contractors
would erect buildings, under
lease, later to be acquired by the
Government.
Senator Chavez yesterday sent
a letter to the General Services
Administration asking it to
supply information as to the
amount of property now vacant
lin the District (not including
PARKS and also the number OF
Temporary buildings intended to
be RACED soon that might possibly
provide sites in the District for
Federal buildings.
The point of all this. aside
from economy, is that "the Dis
Itrict of Columbia is supposed to
be the seat of the Federal Gov
ernment," as Senator Chavez
lput it..
Points to More Taxes
what I want to find out is
why, if property is available
here, there should be another
move to buy land elsewhere" he
said. 81 wonder if the taxpayers
would like it if they knew that
lit would mean more taxes?
There is too much of a push
Ito get out of town. And they
always want to buy more and
more land"
Senator Chavez spoke Of the
move of the Geological Survey
to go to a suburban site:
They have spotted beautiful
place" he said. They intend to
go out in the country but
think that they can do it in the
District. If we can do it here
why not have it here?"
Even the plan of the Bureau
of Standards to move to a new
location out in Montgomery
County was questioned. "They
have a place here" said Senator
Chavez. Maybe the facilities
need improving, but they have
the site. My question is Why
buy a new piece of land?'"
Senator StenniS spanked the
questions yesterday. He noted
that last year the Senate Armed
Services Committee, at his urg.
ling, had authorized the con-
lstruction of the building for 9
new home for the CHA.
I'VE left it to them to select
the proper SITE" he said.
$40 Million Shock
But he told the Senate he was
shocked when he found that the
CHA now was planning an extra
$40 million expenditure on tor
of the SAG million authorized fol
the original Langley project.
Nov, that hits me in the face
as extravagant." he said.
II don't think we need that
much"
Senator StenniS agreed the
CHA has a security problem ano
that its new home needs some
special treatment, but again he
raised the question: Where will
lit all end?" He said maybe il
might be correct to say that this
new CHA building will be a little
IPentagon."
The Senate Public Works Com
mittee so far has approved none
Iof the leaSe-purchase projects
for the Washington area for big
Federal buildings recommended
by the General Services Admin
istration.
The Geological Survey struc-
ture has been outlined in some
detail in a prospectus submitted
by GSA at an estimated cost OF
1922 million. 1t would be built
outside the District.
The lease-purchase projects
are developed by GSA in CO.
operation with agencies desiring
new buildings. But they cannot
be started until the Public Works
Committees Of both the House
and Senate approve.