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House advances bill to cut FBI budget by $1B.

House ⁢Republicans on⁣ July⁤ 14 advanced‌ a proposal that would slash $1 billion from the budget of ⁢the ‍FBI‌ amid ongoing⁣ concerns with ‌the agency’s​ conduct.

The⁤ appropriations ‍bill, ‍which​ was passed through the House Committee ⁢on Commerce,‍ Justice, ⁤Science, ‌and ⁢Related ⁢Agencies ‌on a party-line vote, ‌would reduce the⁣ agency’s⁣ funding‌ to ​$10.3 ​billion ‌(pdf) from the‍ $11.3 billion⁤ it received in the current⁢ fiscal⁤ year. ⁣The reduction ⁤would return⁣ the agency’s ​funding​ to about ‍what it‌ was in ‌2022.

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The‌ roughly ‌9 percent cut‌ includes ‌a ‍$400 million salary cut for the⁢ bureau.

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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.

The​ bill ⁢prohibits the ⁢FBI ⁤and​ others‍ from ‌using⁤ funding⁤ to‌ “conduct any ⁢diversity, equity, ‌inclusion, ⁣or​ explicit bias⁣ training.”

That‍ provision comes ​after Republicans⁣ in the House‌ passed an⁢ amendment to ⁤the‍ National‍ Defense ⁤Authorization ‌Act prohibiting ‌the Department ⁤of Defense from ‌engaging ‍in similar practices.

Whistleblower Protections

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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 ⁤whistleblowers.

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“None 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’s constitutional⁢ rights under the First ⁣Amendment,”‍ the bill reads.

Agency whistleblowers ​have⁢ said that the⁢ agency ​has‍ become “enveloped in politicization.”⁣ Many have‍ reported‍ incidents of‍ retaliation for⁣ speaking ⁤to Congress about these ⁢issues—despite​ longstanding congressional‍ protections for ​executive‍ branch whistleblowers.

Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.)⁣ confirmed ‌that ⁢Republicans⁣ had uncovered ‍a ‍“pattern” ​of⁤ such⁤ behavior.

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‌ ​ ‍ Garret O’Boyle ‍with​ daughters⁤ Iris and Gwen, shortly‌ before he‌ left the ‍Waukesha ⁣Police ⁤Department​ in⁢ Wisconsin ​for ⁤the ⁢FBI. (Photo courtesy of Garret O’Boyle)

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In the⁤ most ​shocking of these⁤ cases, that of Special agent Garret O’Boyle, a whistleblower was​ moved ‌across the ​country by the FBI. When Mr. ​O’Boyle ​and his ⁤family ⁤arrived in Virginia, Mr. O’Boyle ‍learned‌ that‌ he had ⁤been‌ suspended ⁣without pay, ‍effectively ‍“rendering his‌ family homeless.”

The FBI also⁣ refused‍ to relinquish​ possession ⁣of⁣ his⁢ personal​ belongings, ‍including his young ⁢children’s‍ clothing.

Special agent​ Stephen ⁤Friend was ⁤also placed on ⁢unpaid suspension, and the⁢ FBI refused to⁤ allow​ him to​ take ⁤other employment during this ⁣time.‍ Mr. ‍Friend ‍also had‍ his security clearance ⁢denied.

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Asked‍ about the⁣ apparent⁢ retaliation, ​Ms. Cammack said ⁤the⁣ FBI had suggested ‍to him that ⁢it was⁢ merely a “coincidence.”

“It’s 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,” he said.

‘Politically Sensitive⁣ Investigation’ ⁤Temporarily ⁣Barred

It would also‌ seek ‌to ‌temporarily‌ prohibit the⁢ FBI ‍and⁢ DOJ from ⁤conducting‌ “politically‍ sensitive ⁣investigations”‌ at ⁤a time when ​the ⁤agencies are⁢ under⁤ fire ⁢for ​their ⁣conduct against‍ former ⁤President⁢ Donald Trump.

Last ⁣year, ‍the ​FBI⁢ conducted‍ a‌ raid‌ on ⁣Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago ‍Florida⁤ home,⁣ which ‌FBI Director Christopher Wray‍ defended to Congress as the “lawful⁢ execution ⁢of⁢ a search ⁣warrant.” ‍Republicans⁤ have disagreed, suggesting that ⁣the ⁢move ⁣was a ‍political ​stunt.


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‍ ⁣ Former ⁢U.S. ⁤President and ⁤Republican presidential‌ candidate Donald⁤ Trump‍ prepares to deliver remarks ⁢in‍ Las Vegas ⁣on⁣ July 8, ⁣2023.⁣ (Mario⁣ Tama/Getty ⁣Images)

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 politically driven ⁢“witch⁢ hunt.”

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To that⁢ end, the legislation ⁤seeks⁢ to bar the DOJ ‌and FBI‍ from ⁤conducting‍ “a ‍politically sensitive investigation‍ until the ⁤Department‌ of Justice establishes a policy ⁣requiring nonpartisan career staff⁣ to ‍oversee⁣ such‍ investigations.”

It‍ defined ‌politically sensitive investigations as “investigations of elected officials⁣ or their​ family members, political candidates ⁢or their family‌ members, political organizations, religious organizations,⁣ and members of‍ the media.”

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Barred⁢ From Labeling⁤ Speech‍ ‘Misinformation’

The bill ‍would additionally prohibit the ‌FBI,​ DOJ, ⁣and ‍other federal agencies from using funds to‍ classify Americans’⁣ speech as “misinformation.”

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The prohibition ​comes amid revelations following Elon Musk’s acquisition ‍of​ Twitter that⁣ the federal ‌government​ had been ⁤in ‌contact with the ⁢social media platform​ to ⁢demand that posts, ideas, ‌and‍ stories be censored ​from the platform. It also⁢ prohibits federal agencies from partnering with nonprofit‍ or private⁢ organizations to achieve the same ‌effect.

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⁢ Elon ⁢Musk,⁤ CEO of‌ SpaceX‍ and⁢ Tesla,⁤ at⁣ a‍ conference ⁢at the Porte⁢ de Versailles ⁤exhibition center ​in Paris on June⁣ 16,‌ 2023. ⁢(Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters)

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The bill⁣ reads: “None​ of⁤ the funds appropriated ⁢or otherwise ‍made available⁤ by this ⁣Act may be made used to (1) classify ‌or facilitate ⁣the classification⁤ of ⁣any ⁢communications⁣ by a‌ United⁢ States ⁣person⁣ as misinformation, disinformation, or malinformation; ‌or⁣ (2) ​partner ‍with or fund⁣ nonprofit


Read More From Original Article Here: Bill to Slash FBI Budget by $1 Billion Advances in House

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