House Republicans are preparing legislation that would slash the FBI’s funding by $1 billion dollars in an attempt to rein in an agency that has become increasingly politicized under President Biden.
The bill would cut FBI funding by 9%.
From Fox News:
In a party-line vote, a House Appropriations subcommittee approved the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies funding bill for 2024. The legislation goes further than the spending deal reached by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and President Biden by steering overall funding levels to those seen in 2022 rather than 2023.
The big chunk of that cut is a $400 million reduction to FBI salaries and expenses. But the bill also imposes new spending limitations on the bureau, which has been a focus of complaints from Republicans who say the FBI has failed to pursue charges against Hunter Biden while it has aggressively worked to prosecute conservatives.
Among other things, the bill bars the FBI from conducting any politically sensitive investigations until the Justice Department sets up a policy that lets non-partisan staff oversee these probes.
The bill prevents the FBI from paying the salary of any employee who retaliates against a whistleblower, thwarts an employee’s First Amendment rights to free speech or fails to comply with a congressional subpoena. It also prohibits the FBI from classifying any communication as “misinformation” or censor lawful speech.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is all in favor of slashing the Bureau’s budget, saying on Twitter “Some Republicans have told me that they will NOT support reducing the FBI’s budget by a single dollar. They are wrong and misguided.”
“If we’re not willing to take resources away from this corrupt entity, then what are we even doing?”
Some Republicans have told me that they will NOT support reducing the FBI’s budget by a single dollar. They are wrong and misguided.
If we’re not willing to take resources away from this corrupt entity, then what are we even doing? pic.twitter.com/iDxKqgxtgx
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) July 13, 2023