Chairman Jerry Moran Opening Statement Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce Justice Science and Related Agencies Hearing to Review the FY2020 Budget Request for the Federal Bureau of Investigation May 7 2019 As prepared for delivery Good morning I call this hearing to order Welcome to the open session of today’s Commerce Justice Science Subcommittee hearing on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request Immediately following this open session the Subcommittee will meet in closed session in Senate Security Our witness today is FBI Director Christopher Wray Welcome Director Wray and thank you for coming to testify about the Bureau’s FY20 request I would like to begin by thanking the men and women of the FBI who work every day to protect this nation and keep its citizens safe I’d especially like to thank your employees for continuing their important work during the recent government shutdown It is my hope and expectation that we are able to avoid future shutdowns by enacting timely appropriations bills In order to accomplish this and to write the FY20 CJS appropriations bill this Committee needs to understand the Bureau’s resource needs The FBI’s mission is broad and multifaceted It includes protecting and defending the United States against terrorism and intelligence threats and fighting cyber-crime as well as combating traditional criminal activities like violent crime public corruption and white-collar wrongdoing We expect the FBI to be nimble and sophisticated in carrying out its important responsibilities This year the Administration is requesting $9 3 billion for the FBI which includes several programmatic increases totaling $145 million These increases reflect FBI mission priorities such as cyber security transnational organized crime counter intelligence and render safe initiatives This request however was not drafted to reflect the FY19 enacted appropriation and therefore does not include the appropriate adjustments to base or the 1 9 percent pay increase for federal workers If there are needs not identified in this request due to the baseline or otherwise I encourage you to discuss those in your testimony Those of us here today understand that the world we live in is complex and rapidly changing As society advances so do criminal enterprises and terrorist organizations Foreign threats remain a constant concern but we must also continue working to prevent and combat domestic threats such as homegrown violent extremists and hate crimes Child exploitation human sex and labor trafficking and the sale of illicit drugs goods or services on the black market present ever changing complications due to the increased use of encryption and the growing prevalence of Dark Web activities The reality is as we get smarter and more sophisticated so do our adversaries I expect that the amounts requested in your budget will allow the FBI to stay a step ahead of 21st century crime while respecting the rights freedoms and liberties afforded to all Americans under the Constitution It is of the utmost importance that this Subcommittee discuss and understand the FBI’s funding priorities to make certain the Bureau is equipped to prevent and combat the ever-changing landscape of criminal activity I look forward to your testimony today I hope to learn more about the proposed enhancements and how these increases will assist the Bureau in its plans to stay ahead of our adversaries and keep our country safe Also we discussed last year the importance of understanding the role in the investigation of the abuse of Olympic gymnasts Since that time the FBI has conducted an internal investigation that led to a review by the Department of Justice Inspector General As we await the conclusion of that review I hope you can assure me today that the FBI will prioritize and take the OIG’s results and recommendations seriously I now would like to recognize the Ranking Member Senator Shaheen ###