WASHINGTON — As some D.C. leaders continue their push to bring the Washington Commanders back to the District, there is growing uncertainty about the city’s chances of regaining control of the RFK site for a football stadium.
For the Commanders to consider leaving their FedEx Field home in Prince George's County to return to their RFK roots in D.C., they will need Congress to clear the way by approving legislation giving long term control of the site to D.C. government.
Now, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen is signaling potential opposition.
In a statement to WUSA9, Van Hollen said he plans to “ensure a fair process in the selection of a Commanders stadium site and prevent actions that unfairly tilt the scales in favor of one location over another at the expense of federal taxpayers.” Van Hollen’s statement noted “our priority is not to block the transfer of the RFK property from the National Park Service to the District of Columbia” indicating he doesn’t oppose D.C. regaining control of the site, just potentially not for a new Commanders stadium.
At this point it's not even certain the RFK bill makes it to the Senate floor.
Montana Sen. Steve Daines currently has a hold on the RFK bill at the subcommittee level, over objections from Native American constituents who are upset the team retired its former logo, which was created by members of their tribe.
“The iconic Blackfeet logo is a source of pride for Indian Country and should be celebrated, not erased," Daines said in a statement. "I’ll keep working with Ryan Wetzel to ensure that the Commanders and the NFL properly honor his grandfather, Blackie Wetzel, the inspiration behind the logo, legendary Blackfeet Chief Two Guns White Calf and the amazing contributions of Native Americans.”
A spokesperson for Daines said he plans to continue his hold until his constituents are satisfied. But sources on Capital Hill told WUSA9 Daines is expected to release that hold eventually. Still, anything can happen in the full Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, which would have to advance the legislation.
Conservative Republicans often oppose giving D.C. control over its affairs. Liberal Democrats often oppose anything that could help billionaires like Commander’s owner Josh Harris. And right now, no one really knows where those powerful groups are going to land on this issue.
If the RFK bill makes it to the full Senate, it likely won’t be voted on as a standalone bill, but lumped together as one larger, packaged piece of land control legislation impacting states across the country.
So, if Van Hollen or anyone else tried to block it at that point, he would not just be holding up the RFK agreement, but also, federal land use agreements nationwide.
In a statement, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine told WUSA9, “I’m not focused on this bill because Senate leadership hasn’t said there will be a vote on the floor. But I believe D.C. should control the land.”
One Capitol Hill source called passage of the RFK Bill “a coin-toss” with politics and agendas in flux, but it will almost certainly be around the Commanders’ bye week in December before things are clearer.
A Commanders spokesperson declined comment on the future of the RFK legislation, but added, “the Commanders are looking at three jurisdictions for the new stadium: Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. We remain eager to find the perfect location for our fans, our team, and the region.”