Staff Reports
The White House is predictably up in arms after House Republicans unveiled a bill to trim the exorbitant budgets of the Justice Department (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). They accuse the GOP of “defunding law enforcement,” a laughable charge from an administration that watched cities burn and cops get attacked during the 2020 riots.
House Republicans have presented a plan to fund the Commerce and Justice departments and science agencies for the fiscal year 2025. Their proposal slashes approximately $987 million from the DOJ, amounting to a modest 3% cut from the fiscal year 2024 bill and a hefty $3 billion less than Biden’s wild spending spree request.
"White House slams GOP proposal to slash DOJ budget as ‘defunding the police’" https://t.co/ec9VJzhLwb
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) June 25, 2024
The FBI, which has been embroiled in controversy after controversy, is set for a budget cut of $367 million in the proposal. This cut represents a measly 3.5% reduction from fiscal 2024 levels and is 9% below what President Joe Biden had the audacity to request. Oh, and it also puts the kibosh on plans for a fancy new FBI headquarters in the D.C. suburbs, tightening up construction funds as well.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates cried foul, claiming that these cuts would lead to increased crime and boldly asserting that Republicans are defunding the police. Apparently, Bates has a short memory, conveniently forgetting the progressive battle cries to defund police departments nationwide post-George Floyd’s tragic death.
The Biden administration is patting itself on the back for allegedly hiring over 100,000 new police officers through the president’s COVID-19 relief bill. Let’s not kid ourselves; throwing borrowed money at a problem isn’t the same as solving it. Bates insisted that Congressional Republicans should jump on Biden’s crime-fighting bandwagon. After all, Biden’s track record on crime is just stellar, right?
Meanwhile, House Republicans argue that their bill restores fiscal responsibility and ensures that the Justice Department is accountable. They assert that this move halts the weaponization of federal agencies against American citizens, with House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole stating this bill prioritizes sanity in budgeting and enhances the liberties of the American people. It’s about time someone started watching how taxpayer dollars are spent instead of handing out blank checks left and right.
It’s clear that the GOP wants more oversight on out-of-control federal agencies and to protect American liberties from an administration that has shown little respect for either. So, while the White House scrambles to paint Republicans as the villains, they might take a good look in the mirror.
