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