Federal Times Article on Budget Deal Quotes FBIAA President

A new Federal Times article quotes a number of experts saying that the newly unveiled congressional budget agreement should lessen the need for furloughs in government agencies.

The article concludes that the Defense Department will benefit from the agreement which will hold off cuts slated to begin next month.

From the article -

"Leaders of the FBI Agents Association, who warned last week that furloughs would disrupt critical crime-fighting operations, 'are very pleased' that lawmakers reached a compromise, President Reynaldo Tariche said Wednesday.

Until the FBI’s final budget is known, however, the association is otherwise 'reserving our judgment,' he said."

Read the full article for reactions to the budget deal from the Bureau and others.

NPR Blog Post Features FBIAA on Bipartisan Budget Deal

Carrie Johnson, a Justice reporter for NPR, took to the outlet's The Two-Way blog to write about FBIAA's opinion on the recently unveiled bipartisan budget deal.

Johnson notes that FBI agents have thus far "been among the most vocal opponents of the spending cuts triggered by sequestration, warning about everything from having to abandon surveillance work to a lack of gas money."

But, she writes, in an effort to prevent further cuts next year, FBIAA "is throwing its clout behind" the Ryan-Murray budget deal.

And with good reason.

She writes, "The sequestration fallout for the bureau has been significant — no new hires, empty parking lots at the training center in Quantico, Va., and damaged relationships with local and international police."

Read Johnson's full post which includes quotes from FBIAA President Rey Tariche showing support for the deal while also expressing concern about provisions requiring Agents and others to pay more into their pension plans.

FBIAA President Ray Tariche Sends a Letter to Senator Patty Murray and Representative Paul Ryan

A congressional budget deal between the House and Senate was announced last night.

Called the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, the deal is the result of negotiations over the past few weeks by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA).  It still has to pass through Congress, but it would set spending for the next fiscal year at $1.012 trillion and increase it to $1.014 trillion the year after that.

As the Huffington Post and others have reported, the Act pays for the spending increases in part by requiring both federal workers and military personnel to contribute a greater portion of their own funds to their pensions.

FBIAA President Rey Tariche sent a letter on behalf of the FBIAA membership expressing support for the lawmakers' efforts to avoid further sequestration cuts but also voicing concern about the impacts of increased pension contribution requirements on FBI Agents.

Rey wrote, "On behalf of the FBI Agents Association ("FBIAA") a voluntary professional association currently representing over 12,000 active duty and retired FBI Agents, I write to express the FBIAA's support for the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which would help prevent the next round of devastating cuts to the FBI's budget."

"However," he continued, "we do not believe that avoiding these cuts should require that Agents receive a cut in their pay in the form of increased pension contributions.  Agent pay and benefits are not the cause of this country's fiscal problems, and cutting these benefits have minimal impact on reducing the deficit."

Read Rey's full letter below.

Have you heard our Voices from the Field?

Our Voices from the Field report contains first-hand accounts from FBI Special Agents.  The stories illustrate how recent budget cuts affect our work and the risks associated with any additional budget cuts or furloughs.

We released the first FBI Agents Association Voices from the Field report in October 2013 and we've been updating it with more stories and analysis since.

We released the report to ensure that Congress, the Administration, and the public are aware of the strain already placed on federal law enforcement budgets, and the risks that further cuts could pose to the safety of our nation.

To read the Agents stories', click the link below.

POLITICO Reports: "Year 2 of sequestration: Gloom looming"

One of the most read Washington, DC-based news sources, POLITICO, published an article on Sunday about sequestration.  We were especially pleased to see this coverage because the article places us and our concerns squarely in the center of the budget and sequestration controversy.  With a budget deal expected to be announced and voted on by the House in next few days, this is an important article.

Look for the mention of FBIAA on page 2 -

"'The good news is they are talking. They told us they are talking. And the decorum has gotten I think better,' said Reynaldo Tariche, president of the FBI Agents Association. His group met last week with aides to Ryan and Murray to describe what could happen at the FBI if the lawmakers can’t strike a deal: Ten to 15 days of furloughs, empty classrooms at the bureau’s Quantico, Va., training center and diminished capacity to respond to threats from terrorists and home-grown criminals."

Medill National Security Zone: Latest in FBIAA NEWSMAKER Coverage

Medill National Security Zone is the latest to publish an article about last week's NEWSMAKER event.

The 15-paragraph summary of the event is available online here.  Read it for a reminder of the warnings FBIAA leadership issued about furloughs, hiring freezes and a decrease in resources for ongoing and new investigations.

The article captured a specifically compelling narrative offered by Association Vice President Thomas O’Connor, “If on the 16th of September [when the Navy Yard shooting occurred], half of our office was furloughed, it would have been much more difficult to get those resources to the scene.  The SWAT team would have not been in a position to respond as quickly. If everybody’s home … it’s going to be the phone tree to get people in. It’s going to be much more difficult.”

National Press Club Write Up About FBIAA NEWSMAKER

If you're just tuning in to our blog now, FBIAA leadership held a press event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC this week.

The NPC was good enough to post a short article encompassing the highlights of the event.

Writer Jennifer Ejim quotes FBIAA President Rey Tariche saying, "The sequestration budget cuts would affect some mission-critical operational needs which would not be met."

Ejim also points readers to our Voices from the Field report, saying it is "based on the 'real-life' experiences of FBI special agents regarding the effects of recent budget cuts on their work."

Additionally, the article recounts the discussion of potential furloughs and the drastic impact those days might have on investigations.

Read the full NPC summary of the event to see how FBIAA "has been going to both sides of the aisle, trying to get fully funded so that they can do their mission, which is to protect the American people from criminals and terrorist threats.”

Tickle the Wire News Hit

A new story on the Tickle the Wire site describes this week's NEWSMAKER event in Washington, DC.

The clear and concise piece picks out some of the highlights of the press event, including the concerns about budget impacts raised by FBIAA leadership.  In particular, the article notes predictions that sequestration may force Agents to take between 10 and 15 days of furloughs.

Read the full piece, which closes with a powerful quote from FBIAA President Rey Tariche, here.

FBIAA Makes Washinton Post Federal Eye Blog

The Washington Post Federal Eye Blog is dedicated to "keeping tabs on the federal government."  Turns out, our NEWSMAKER event caught the attention of the blog.

Here's the paragraph writer Josh Hicks wrote about us -

"FBI agents say criminals may have it easier if the sequester continues:  The FBI Agents Association said potential furloughs, an ongoing hiring freeze and a suspension of training associated with government-wide budget cuts known as the sequester would leave the FBI less capable of combating terrorist attacks and other criminal activities, according to a Government Executive article."

Federal Times Reports on FBIAA NEWSMAKER

The headline, "Another sequester means FBI furloughs, agents group warns," captures one of the central messages of yesterday's press event in Washington, DC.

The solid seven paragraph article in the Federal Times gets the rest.  The article points to the stories contained in the FBIAA Voices from the Field report as evidence of the tough financial strain facing Agents, a strain which keeps them from opening cases, costs them valuable, confidential informants and reduces opportunities for crucial surveillance.

The article also quotes FBI spokeswoman Allison Mahan who, according to the article, confirmed that the bureau anticipates furloughing agents in the event of another sequester.  The article also notes that Ms. Mahan said that the the FBI expects to cut about 3,500 positions — or 10 percent of its workforce — by early 2015 and will  permanently cutting more than $350 million for physical surveillance, hostage rescue team training and other “non-personnel” expenses.

The article concludes by quoting Agent John Fagan who remarked during yesterday's event, "Everything’s suffering.  It just goes straight on across the board."

You can read the full article here.

Did you know that FBIAA President Rey Tariche speaks Spanish?

He does!

At yesterday's NEWSMAKER event in Washington, DC, Rey did a Spanish language interview and an article was posted today on Ambito.com.  The full piece, "El FBI advirtió que recortes afectarán la estrategia contra el terrorismo"  is available here.

Spanish speakers (or users of Google Translate) can read Rey's description of the potential impacts of budget cuts - and especially mandatory furlough days - on law enforcement activities.

New York Daily News Highlights FBIAA Press Event

The New York Daily News posted a short and sweet article about yesterday's press event - "FBI Agents Association wants Congress to rescind spending cuts."

We especially like the inset photo of FBIAA President Rey Tariche over the U.S. Capitol building, don't you?  Check it out the article here.

FBIAA Press Event Featured in Government Executive Piece

Government Executive covered today's press event and posted a great article about it this afternoon.

The piece, "FBI Agents Worry Criminals Will Have It Easier if Sequestration Continues," draws out the central points our panel of FBIAA leadership made at the National Press Club in DC today.

FBIAA President Rey Tariche is quoted as saying, "Terrorists don’t get furloughed.  Cyber hackers don’t get furloughed.  Gang leaders are not furloughed and it’s not an acceptable thing to furlough active FBI agents because of the risks posed from both terrorist and criminal threats."

The article also quotes FBIAA Vice President Tom O'Connor describing the negative impact cuts can have on the important relationships Agents develop with local law enforcement personnel - "The time to introduce yourself is not at a 9/11 or a Navy Yard event.  You should already know the people you’re working with, have trained with them.  I think that’s something very important we may be missing in the future with these cuts."

The work of Agents may be hampered by these cuts, but, as the article shows, Agents will not be defeated.  Quoting Agent John Fagan of the Baltimore Field Office, "It definitely doesn’t make it any easier for us, but we’re used to these obstacles and it’s something we deal with. We’re going to be there no matter what."

You can read the full article by reporter Eric Katz here.

Bloomberg Article Mentions FBIAA Press Event

A lengthy article published on the Bloomberg site today explains various strategies budget negotiators are using in hopes of avoiding another government shutdown next year.

Our press event today is mentioned partway through the piece.

From the article -

"The FBI Agents Association urged Congress today to head off about $700 million in planned spending cuts in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s $8.3 billion budget for this fiscal year. Such a reduction would require agents to be on furlough for 10 to 15 days, group President Reynaldo Tariche said.

'We believe this will have a drastic effect on active investigations,' Tariche said at a Washington news conference. 'Terrorists don’t get furloughed, cyberhackers don’t get furloughed, gang leaders are not on furlough.'"

You can read the full article here.

FBIAA NEWSMAKER Event at the National Press Club

Here are some photos from today's event at the National Press Club.

If you missed the event, you can see some of the highlights on our Twitter account - @FBIAgentsAssoc with the hash-tag #FBIAANEWSMAKER - or you can download the full audio of the event here.

A poster shows two quotations contained in the Voices from the Field report.

The panel of speakers, all members of the FBIAA Executive Board.

FBIAA President Reynaldo Tariche offers opening remarks to a full room.

Rey looks on as FBIAA Vice-President Tom O'Connor speaks. 

Agent John Fagan from the Baltimore Field Office describes
the impact of budget cuts on the work of Agents.

Agent Mike Howell from the Dallas Field Office explains that Agents
will continue to do their jobs to the best of their abilities despite budget cuts
because of their unwavering dedication to their mission to protect the American people.

Rey stays after the event to answer more questions from reporters.

The group after the event.

FBIAA Voices from the Field Report Mentioned in CAP Blog Post

A lengthy and nuanced analysis of varied Republican opinions on sequestration was posted this week on the Center for American Progress website.

Our Voices from the Field report is referenced as evidence of the damage sequestration is doing to law enforcement initiatives.

Read the full blog post here.

Upcoming FBIAA "NEWSMAKER" Media Briefing

FIBAA leadership will be at the National Press Club in Washington, DC next week to to discuss the impact of budget cuts on federal law enforcement and national security as only they can - by sharing their own stories and experiences and those of other FBI Agents.

Here's what you need to know about the event -

WHO: FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) President Reynaldo Tariche and Members of the FBIAA
           National Executive Board

WHAT: National Press Club “NEWSMAKER” Media Briefing on Impact of Sequestration and Budget
             Cuts on FBI Agents.

WHEN: Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 10:00 AM

WHERE: National Press Club Zenger Room
               National Press Building, 529 14th St. NW, Washington, DC, 20045, 13th Floor

DETAILS:

FBIAA President Reynaldo Tariche and other members of the National Executive Board will present updates to "Voices from the Field: FBI Agent Accounts of the Real Consequences of Budget Cuts."  The report contains first-hand accounts by FBI agents in the field of how budget cuts are affecting FBI Agents’ daily operations and hampering criminal and national security investigations, and the risks associated with any additional budget cuts and furloughs.

The first-hand accounts include how budget cuts are impacting criminal, counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence investigations.  Further, the report shows that even Agents’ basic transportation needs are being compromised because there is not enough funding for gas.

Because the FBI budget includes both defense and non-defense expenditures, sequestration cuts may be more devastating to the Bureau and Agents than to any other federal agency.  Unless Congress takes action, the FBI will be forced to cut another approximately $800 million from its budget next year, worsening existing budget problems.  Sequestration cuts may result in furloughs of Agents ranging from 10 to 26 days.  

We've Got Bipartisan Concern...We Need a Bipartisan Solution

All across the county and on both sides of the aisle in Washington, we're seeing and hearing agreement that more budget cuts for the FBI are a bad idea.  We know there is agreement that trying to save money by undermining the FBI's ability to protect the public is likely to be far more costly to our country in the long run.

With that in mind, we hope that Congress and the White House will come together to negotiate an agreement that protects national security and public safety, and eliminates devastating cuts to the Bureau that would hurt thousands of dedicated Agents and their families.

Here are some of our favorite quotes that show that concern for those who faithfully and effectively serve the United States each and every day is not a partisan issue.

• “The FBI joins forces with our intelligence, our military, and homeland security professionals to break up all manner of threats -- from taking down drug rings to stopping those who prey on children, to breaking up al Qaeda cells to disrupting their activities, thwarting their plots.  And your mission keeps expanding because the nature of the threats are always changing. Unfortunately, the resources allotted to that mission has been reduced by sequestration.  I’ll keep fighting for those resources because our country asks and expects a lot from you, and we should make sure you’ve got the resources you need to do the job.  Especially when many of your colleagues put their lives on the line on a daily basis, all to serve and protect our fellow citizens -- the least we can do is make sure you’ve got the resources for it and that your operations are not disrupted because of politics in this town.”  President Barack Obama, October 28, 2013

• “It was kind of like when you go through your drawers and your pants pockets and you collect the dimes — you can’t do that again.  The second year will be much more difficult.”  Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), Chairman of Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, October 26, 2013

• “This is a stunning amount of money, particularly when you look at the incredible things that the FBI needs to do. … I’ve got to tell you, this is shocking.  This is a self-inflicted wound … This is not an external threat from a foreign country or … organized crime.  It’s what we’re doing to ourselves.”  Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Chairwoman of Appropriations, May 16, 2013

• “Let’s take our FBI. Our FBI agents are on the job. They are being paid with IOUs. A group of FBI agents, called Voices from the Field, said to us, their U.S. Government: Guess what. We don’t have gas for our cars. The FBI does not have gas for its cars. The agents’ gas allowance is limited to 200 miles per week, and they can’t even buy gas out of their own pocket.”  Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Chairwoman of Appropriations, October 8, 2013

• “Sequestration — and its unrealistic and ill-conceived discretionary cuts — must be brought to an end,”  Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), Chairman of Appropriations, July 31, 2013

• “There are not going to be as many FBI agents, ATF agents, DEA agents, prosecutors who are going to be able to do their jobs.  They're going to be furloughed. They're going to spend time out of their offices, not doing their jobs."  United States Attorney General Eric Holder, February 27, 2013

• “It was not that long ago that the FBI was working overtime in the aftermath of the Boston bombing. Now, the furloughs at the FBI are the latest example of the irresponsible impact of the sequester."  Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Budget Committee Conferee, September 13, 2013

FBI Director Comey Visits Cincinnati, OH Field Office, Warns of Cuts

A local Cincinnati Enquirer article today quoted FBI Director James Comey during a stop at a Cincinnati, OH FBI field office.

FBI Director James Comey

According to the article, when Comey was asked what the office needs from him, the answer was a unanimous request for assistance with the state's serious heroin problem.

But Comey did not have good news for the office - "There are going to be fewer FBI Special Agents and employees across all of my divisions, including Cincinnati," he is quoted as saying.

"They are not going to be working during [furlough periods]," Comey said, according to the Enquirer reporter, "and I venture to say that all the crime that we address together isn't taking that two weeks off."

FBIAA President Appears Live on Bloomberg Television to Talk FBI Budget Cuts

FBI Agent Association President Reynaldo Tariche appeared live today on Bloomberg Television to discuss the FBIAA Voices from the Field report, and how sequestration and other budget cuts affect FBI Agents.

Watch the full interview here -

Washington Post Article Features FBIAA Report

The headline of a Washington Post story says it all: "New FBI Director James B. Comey Stunned by Impact ofSequestration on Agents in the Field."

The article by Post reporter Sari Horowitz details the situation Comey has discovered since starting his tenure at the FBI - "New intelligence investigations were not being opened. Criminal cases were being closed. Informants couldn't be paid. And there was not enough funding for agents to put gas in their cars."

The article features the report put together by FBIAA and released today.

In "Voices from the Field," the article says, "agents from across the country warn that budget cuts and possible furloughs are hurting public safety and threaten their ability to protect Americans."

Read the full article on the Washington Post site here.

FBIAA Releases "Voices from the Field Report"

FBIAA today released a new report that provides FBI Agents’ first-hand accounts of the impact of budget cuts on daily operations and investigations.

The accounts, contained in Voices from the Field, include how budget cuts are affecting FBI Agents’ daily operations and hampering criminal and national security investigations, and the risks associated with any additional budget cuts and furloughs.

Some of the most compelling accounts show how budget cuts are undermining counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence investigations, forcing the closure of white collar investigations, harming cooperation with local law enforcement, and, in some cases, losing informants.  Further, the report shows that even Agents’ basic transportation needs are being compromised through prohibition against using official FBI vehicles because there is no funding for gas.

Here's what FIBAA President Rey Tariche had to say about the report - 

"As FBI Agents, our commitment to our work is unwavering.  We will continue to make the personal and professional sacrifices to do our jobs and protect this country.  However, we are releasing Voices from the Field to ensure that Congress, the Administration, and the public are aware that the resources available to support the work of FBI Agents have been stretched to the breaking point.”

Read the full report on the FBIAA site -