Mark Warner | FFXnow

Published November 13, 2023 at 3:30PM | Updated November 13, 2023 at 4:09PM

The current FBI headquarters in D.C. (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) Virginia’s elected leaders may not agree on issues like abortion access or education, but they remain united by the conviction that the Commonwealth would be a better host than Maryland for the FBI.

After coming together to pitch a Springfield warehouse as the best site for the law enforcement agency’s new headquarters, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin joined Democratic senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Virginia’s bipartisan House delegation last Thursday (Nov. 9) to blast the federal government for awarding the facility to Prince George’s County instead.

News

Franconia railroad bridge project gets on track with $100M in federal funds

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 22, 2023 at 9:30AM | Updated September 22, 2023 at 6:01PM

The Franconia-Springfield Bypass will add a bridge to accommodate VRE and Amtrak trains (via Virginia Passenger Rail Authority)

(Updated at 6 p.m.) A project to enhance the capacity of a key rail line through Fairfax County is chugging along, thanks to a major infusion of federal cash.

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority has been awarded $100 million in federal funds to design and build a bridge that will allow Virginia Railway Express and Amtrak trains to cross over tracks approaching the Franconia-Springfield station (6880 Frontier Drive), Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner announced yesterday (Thursday).

News

Proposal to add long distance flights at National Airport fails to take off

By Fatimah Waseem

Published July 21, 2023 at 1:30PM

Washington Reagan National Airport (file photo)

A proposal to add long-distance flights at Reagan National Airport has officially failed, to the relief of area representatives who feared it would undermine Dulles International Airport.

The House of Representatives rejected the proposal — which was included in a package of changes to the Federal Aviation Administration’s policies that passed overall — by a 229-205 vote on Wednesday (July 19).

Countywide

Local lawmakers annoyed by change to criteria for new FBI HQ location

By Matt Blitz

Published July 18, 2023 at 11:45AM

The General Services Administration Warehouse in Springfield, potential site of the FBI's new headquarters (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

There has been another change in criteria for determining where the new FBI headquarters will go, prompting annoyance and even anger from several local officials.

Late last week, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced that it will now weigh cost and “advancing equity” as factors of higher importance when deciding if the new FBI headquarters will end up in Springfield or one of two sites in Prince George’s County, Maryland, per an updated site selection plan.

Countywide

Metro to electrify Fairfax County bus facility with federal grant

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 29, 2023 at 9:30AM

Metro plans to convert all of its buses to zero emissions by 2042 (courtesy Metro)

Metro’s bus facility in Franconia is a step closer to going electric, thanks to a big infusion of funding from the federal government.

The Federal Transit Administration has awarded Metro a $104 million grant to convert its Cinder Bed Road Bus Division garage at 7901 Cinder Bed Road into a fully electric facility, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced Monday (June 26).

News

Sen. Mark Warner sees Covid relief funds in action at Western Fairfax food pantry

By Vivian Hoang

Published June 21, 2023 at 3:00PM | Updated June 22, 2023 at 10:32AM

(Updated 3:45 p.m.) Local charitable organization Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (4511 Daly Drive J) welcomed Sen. Mark Warner through its doors last week.

On Friday, June 16, Warner toured WFCM’s food pantry and warehouse in Chantilly and participated in a roundtable discussion with WFCM leaders and partners, such as the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington, Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services, Fairfax County Public Schools, Wegmans, Boy Scouts and Kings of Kings Lutheran Church.

News

Push for more long flights at Reagan National Airport would undermine Dulles, senators say

By Fatimah Waseem

Published May 1, 2023 at 3:00PM

Dulles International Airport at night (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A proposal for more long-distance flights at Reagan National Airport (DCA) is catching the ire of some of Virginia’s Congressional representatives, who say it could undermine efforts to grow Dulles International Airport (IAD).

Proponents led by Capital Access Alliance argue that current restrictions at Reagan National — an airport owned by the federal government — are outdated and hurt the economy. They want to increase the number of flights that travel beyond 1,250 miles from the airport, allowing as many as 25 daily round trips.

News

Virginia Republican and Democrat leaders rally for common goal: beating Maryland in FBI HQ battle

By Vernon Miles

Published February 14, 2023 at 3:00PM | Updated March 24, 2023 at 2:37PM

The General Services Administration Warehouse in Springfield, potential site of the FBI's new headquarters (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

In an unusual show of bipartisan unity, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin will attend a press conference tomorrow (Wednesday) with Democratic senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and other elected leaders to rally for a Northern Virginia FBI headquarters.

A release from Warner’s office said the elected leaders will hold a press conference in Springfield to lay out the case for bringing the proposed headquarters to Fairfax County.

Countywide

Federal funds secured for cycle path to Innovation Center Metro station

By Fatimah Waseem

Published December 22, 2022 at 1:30PM | Updated December 22, 2022 at 2:00PM

A walkway over Sunrise Valley Drive leads to the Innovation Center Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A cycle path to the Innovation Center Metro station is circling closer to construction.

Roughly $4 million in federal funding was secured for the project, which will include a cycle path from Sunrise Valley Drive to Innovation Metro Station, Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced yesterday.

Countywide

Fairfax County lands $8.9M in federal funding for affordable housing

By Angela Woolsey

Published May 16, 2022 at 12:45PM

Wesley Housing's The Arden apartments, currently under construction near the Huntington Metro station, is a recent recipient of Fairfax County's annual federal funding from HUD (via Fairfax County Housing and Community Development)

Fairfax County has gotten a little help from the federal government for its efforts to increase the availability of affordable housing.

The county was awarded a total of $8.9 million in grants and other funds by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner announced on Friday (May 13).