{"id":1974188,"date":"2023-07-15T20:53:01","date_gmt":"2023-07-16T00:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-slashing-1-billion-from-fbi-budget-advances-in-house\/"},"modified":"2023-07-15T20:54:55","modified_gmt":"2023-07-16T00:54:55","slug":"bill-slashing-1-billion-from-fbi-budget-advances-in-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-slashing-1-billion-from-fbi-budget-advances-in-house\/","title":{"rendered":"House Advances Bill Cutting FBI Budget by $1 Billion"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbill-slashing-1-billion-from-fbi-budget-advances-in-house%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1974188&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"post_content\">\n<div class=\"aplayer_app\" data-source=\"https:\/\/vs1.youmaker.com\/assets\/2023\/0716\/98085555-94ce-4951-96f9-c6c1db265b7e\/audio.mp3?length=4610061&#038;duration=384\"><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p>House Republicans on July 14 advanced a bill that would slash $1 billion from the budget of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-slashing-1-billion-from-fbi-budget-advances-in-house\/\" title=\"House Advances Bill Cutting FBI Budget by  Billion\">previous levels amid ongoing concerns<\/a> with the agency\u2019s conduct.<\/p>\n<p>The appropriations bill, which was passed through the House Committee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sen-joe-manchin-threatens-to-derail-bidens-1-9-trillion-aid-bill-unless-it-receives-bipartisan-support\/\" title=\"Sen. Joe Manchin Threatens To Derail Biden\u2019s .9 Trillion Aid Bill Unless It Receives \u2018Bipartisan\u2019 Support\">party-line vote<\/a>, would reduce the agency\u2019s funding from the $11.3 billion it received this financial year to $10.3 billion (<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.house.gov\/meetings\/AP\/AP19\/20230714\/116251\/BILLS-118--AP--CJS-FY24CJSSubcommitteeMark.pdf\">pdf<\/a>). The reduction would return the agency\u2019s funding to roughly 2022 levels.<\/p>\n<p>The roughly 9 percent cut comprises a $400 million salary cut for the FBI over previous levels.<\/p>\n<p>It comes amid a series of frustrations with the agency, which Republican lawmakers say has been weaponized against conservatives as they seek to address several key concerns.<\/p>\n<p>The bill prohibits the FBI and others from using funding to \u201cconduct any diversity, equity, inclusion, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scott-powell-veterans-day-and-the-midterm-elections\/\" title=\"Scott Powell: Veterans Day and the Midterm Elections\">explicit bias training<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That provision comes after Republicans in the House passed a similar amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), barring the Department of Defense from promoting similar concepts.<\/p>\n<h2>Whistleblower Protections<\/h2>\n<p>It would also prevent the agency from using taxpayer funds to pay the salaries of those within the Department of Justice (DOJ) who engage in retaliatory conduct against a whistleblower.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNone of the funds made available by this Act may be used to pay the salary, benefits, bonuses, or expenses of a Department of Justice employee who is found to have retaliated against a whistleblower or suppressed an employee\u2019s constitutional rights under the First Amendment,\u201d the bill reads.<\/p>\n<p>Agency whistleblowers have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/enveloped-in-politicization-fbi-whistleblowers-reveal-serious-abuses-house-report-finds_5275050.html\">said<\/a> that the agency has become \u201cenveloped in politicization.\u201d Many have reported incidents of retaliation for them speaking to Congress about these issues\u2014despite longstanding congressional protections for executive branch whistleblowers.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) confirmed that Republicans had uncovered a \u201cpattern\u201d of such behavior.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5303221\" style=\"width: 401px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/05\/31\/id5303221-OBoyle_Daughters-1200x1623-2.jpg\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><\/noscript><\/figcaption><\/a><br \/>\n    Garret O\u2019Boyle with daughters Iris and Gwen, shortly before he left the Waukesha Police Department in Wisconsin for the FBI. (Photo courtesy of Garret O\u2019Boyle)<br \/>\n  <\/figure>\n<p>In the most shocking of these cases, that of Special Agent Garret O\u2019Boyle, a whistleblower was moved across the country by the FBI. When O\u2019Boyle and his family arrived in Virginia, Mr. O\u2019Boyle learned that he had been suspended without pay, effectively \u201crendering his family homeless.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The FBI also refused to relinquish possession of his personal belongings, including his young children\u2019s clothing.<\/p>\n<p>Special Agent Stephen Friend was also placed on unpaid suspension, with the FBI refusing to allow him to take other employment during this time. Mr. Friend also had his security clearance denied.<\/p>\n<p>Asked about the apparent retaliation, Ms. Cammack said the FBI had suggested to him that it was merely a \u201ccoincidence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a coincidence that they leave these people in a position where they cannot seek outside employment, they cannot access their personal belongings, despite the fact that these men have served their country. But even worse, their loyalty to the nation has been questioned. This is truly the weaponization of government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<h2>\u2018Politically Sensitive Investigation\u2019 Temporarily Barred<\/h2>\n<p>It would also seek to temporarily disbar the FBI and DOJ from conducting \u201cpolitically sensitive investigations\u201d at a time when the agencies are under fire for their conduct against former President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this year, the FBI conducted a raid on Mr. Trump\u2019s Mar-a-Lago home, which FBI Director Christopher Wray defended as the \u201clawful execution of a search warrant\u201d to Congress. Republicans have disagreed, suggesting that the move was a political stunt.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5400543\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/07\/15\/id5400543-Trump.jpg\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><\/noscript><\/figcaption><\/a><br \/>\n    Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump prepares to deliver remarks in Las Vegas, Nevada, on on July 8, 2023. (Mario Tama\/Getty Images)<br \/>\n  <\/figure>\n<p>Likewise, DOJ Special Counsel Jack Smith recently announced the decision to press 37 federal charges against Mr. Trump for alleged mishandling of classified documents. Mr. Trump has defended his conduct as protected under the Presidential Records Act, and has characterized the allegations as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/liberal-bias-or-cheney-2024-j6-staffers-liz-cheney-trade-blows-over-final-committee-report\/\" title=\"\u2018Liberal Bias\u2019 Or \u2018Cheney 2024\u2019? J6 Staffers, Liz Cheney Trade Blows Over Final Committee Report\">politically-driven \u201cwitch hunt<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To that end, the legislation seeks to bar the DOJ and FBI from conducting \u201ca <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fbi-jeopardized-national-security-by-calling-verified-hunter-biden-evidence-disinformation-whistleblowers-say\/\" title=\"FBI Jeopardized National Security By Calling Verified Hunter Biden Evidence \u2018Disinformation,\u2019 Whistleblowers Say\">politically sensitive investigation<\/a> until the Department of Justice establishes a policy requiring non-partisan career staff to oversee such investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It defined a \u201cpolitically sensitive investigation\u201d as \u201cinvestigations of elected officials or their family members, political candidates or their family members, political organizations, religious organizations, and members of the media.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Barred from Labeling Speech \u2018Misinformation\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>The bill would additionally prohibit the FBI, DOJ, or other feder<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>House Republicans on July 14 pushed a bill to cut $1 billion from the FBI&#8217;s budget, citing ongoing concerns about the agency&#8217;s behavior. The appropriations bill, passed by the House Committee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies along party lines, aims to reduce funding for the FBI.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":1974189,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1974188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1974188","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1974188"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1974188\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1974189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1974188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1974188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1974188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}