Moran Wins Two Year Extension for Bldgs Facing Onerous Security Standards

Washington, D.C., September 22nd – Congressman Jim Moran, Virginia Democrat, announced today that the Department of Defense (DoD) has extended by two years, the deadline for BRAC-related facilities in the National Capital Region (NCR) to comply with “Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for Buildings” put in place to accompany the 2005 BRAC decision.

The building security standards prevent the renewal of leases for facilities in the NCR that house DoD employees unless they are in compliance by September 30, 2009—in almost every case an impossible imposition. Under the modified deadline secured by Congressman Moran, lease renewals may be executed up to September 30, 2011 and the leases themselves extended until September 30, 2014 without having reached compliance. 

“I appreciate the Defense Department’s willingness to be flexible on this issue,” said Moran, who has been at the forefront of the issue as a member of the Defense Appropriations Committee. “We’ve been working for a number of years to ease the burden placed on the National Capital Region by these unfair and redundant security standards. It was unrealistic and unmerited to require the 50 plus government leased facilities in the capital region to reach compliance or transition to new tenants under the original time frame."

In a memorandum released today by Moran, Undersecretary of Defense Ashton Carter conceded that the September 30, 2009 deadline was unrealistic given delays in the BRAC realignment process stating: “We agree that…the department has limited options that would minimize disruption of ongoing defense missions without incurring significant unbudgeted expense.”

As a result of the Congressman’s efforts, the Defense Department’s Washington Headquarters Services has been directed to:

Grant the authority to execute lease renewals until September 30, 2011, to accommodate continued occupancy by organizations in the NCR affected by BRAC, even if the existing leased facility is not in compliance with UFC 4-010-01 minimum AT standards for buildings that house DoD employees.

Work with GSA to renew or extend leases at NCR BRAC facilities that expire prior to September 30, 2011, to accommodate continued occupancy until the BRAC-directed move.

Develop, in coordination with GSA and the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations and Environment), a detailed plan of action to acquire UFC AT compliant leased-facility space, that will enable all DoD employees occupying leased facilities in the NCR to be located in AT compliant space.

The building standards in question were originally imposed on the region by then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who used the 2005 BRAC process to move defense facilities out of Metro-accessible leased office space and onto more remote military bases.  The building standards were designed to provide protection from a blast emanating from a truck carrying 200 pounds of explosives—a significant threat for a high-profile facility like the Pentagon but not for a non-descript office building used by low profile federal and private tenants alike. 

Under the standards, a building is disqualified from housing an agency or private company if it has underground parking, direct Metro access or is not setback from the road more than 82 feet, and in some cases, 148 feet.  These standards are not met by the Pentagon, House and Senate Office Buildings or the Supreme Court.

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