Senators pitch more funding for FBI

Senators are planning to use a wide-ranging appropriations bill to push for more funding for the FBI in the wake of a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando. 

 

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) has filed an amendment to the Senate’s Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill that would provide the agency an additional $190 million.

 

{mosads}Most of that money, $175 million, would be used for “personnel, training and equipment needed to counter both foreign and domestic terrorism, including the lone wolf actors.” 

 

Another $15 million would be used to bolster active shooting training.

 

“Words are one thing, deeds are another,” she told reporters after a classified briefing Monday evening. “While America grieves and America bleeds, we want to take action to prevent it from happening again, and that goes to a resourced FBI.” 

 

The proposal comes days after a gunman killed 49 people and injured 53 more during a shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub. Omar Mateen, the shooter, who died in a standoff with responding police, had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in a 911 call during the attack, according to authorities.

 

Mateen had previously been interviewed by the FBI, in 2013 and 2014, for possible links to terrorism, though nothing came of the investigation.

 

Democrats argue the proposal — also backed by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) — would “fully fund” the FBI and help prevent domestic terror attacks. 

“The biggest threat we face today is the lone-wolf attack on a soft target,” Nelson said in a separate statement. “This is precisely what we saw in Orlando, and we must ensure that the FBI has all the resources it needs to prevent such an attack from happening again.”  

But the Democratic proposal is dwarfed by a measure from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) that would give the FBI up to $2.84 billion from unappropriated funds. 

The money, according to Graham’s proposal, would be used “to better protect people in the United States from both domestic and international acts of terrorism.” 

The dueling proposals come despite FBI Director James Comey telling reporters this week that he believes the bureau has adequate resources. 

“I think we have the resources that we need to meet our responsibilities. … I’m always asking do we have enough,” he told reporters. “But the answer is yes we have the resources we need.” 

While both of the amendments have been filed to the Commerce, Justice and Science spending bill, neither have been teed up for a vote. 

Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters earlier this week that Democrats will force a vote on the Mikulski-Nelson proposal. 

“Republicans are short-changing the funding President Obama requested for the FBI by more than $100 million. Both of these amendments are germane and deserve an up or down vote,” he said. 

Julian Hattem contributed