Mr. Chairman, I think the Committee deserves an answer to that question. It is a yes or no question whether people are aware of any conversations that anyone in the Administration has had with the President about this project.

This is a textbook example of how the Federal Government should not operate over a period of time.

clearly not as secure as the others, which is so obvious.

I think you can both understand why we are having major whiplash up here, given the long history of positions that both your agencies have taken on this project.

the current location of the FBI building is probably the worst of all the agencies in the intelligence community.

Your testimony today is that rebuilding at the current location would be less secure for the FBI than moving to one of the other campus sites, isn't that correct?

I would suggest it is not just intuitively; that is according to the facts and the experts.

the status quo today is not acceptable.

Right. So the Administration's position at the time was we want to move forward with these other options, but we are not going to provide full funding.

I would suggest that we now can look at the funding for the original project, which would have gone through at one of the other three facilities and met what the FBI has told us for years would meet its mission requirements.

That is just yes or no. Are you aware of any conversations had by any member of the Administration with the President of the United States about this project?

Are you aware of any conversations or communications that any member of the Administration has had with the President of the United States about the project?

Well, as I mentioned, Mr. Chairman, we have looked at the demolish option in the past.

Are either of you gentlemen--are either of you familiar with any conversations that any members of your agency have had with the President of the United States about this decision with respect to the FBI building?

This is a legitimate question for the public.

Just for the record, neither witness has answered the question, Mr. Chairman. I think it is pretty clear from the record.

Mr. Chairman, I would just ask if I could put into the record some of the documents I cited during my questioning, as well as a Washington Post column discussing the President's interest in keeping the FBI building in its current site as…

I understand it is an FBI decision. I asked who was involved in making that decision. Solely FBI?