November 17: Kaptur Helps Secure Funding in ‘Minibus’ for Additional FBI Agents to Investigate Financial Crimes

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur said this evening she was pleased that a House-passed measure to avert a government shutdown also includes resources for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to hire more than 200 additional agents to investigate white-collar crime.

The so-called "minibus" appropriations measure passed the House of Representatives today by a vote of 298-121.

"Thousands of people throughout Northern Ohio are under tremendous financial strain due to the recklessness of Wall Street," Kaptur said. "By the FBI's own account, it does not have the agents to investigate potential financial crimes."

Funding for the additional agents for the White Collar Crime Division was one of several provisions that Congresswoman Kaptur fought to include in the bill, which funds the Departments of Justice, Agriculture, Commerce, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.

Congresswoman Kaptur said she believes her provision will result in more than $12 million for the FBI to hire approximately 211 agents.

"I have said that we need a thousand more FBI agents to do real investigation and prosecution, along with forensic accounting, so that we can bring to justice those who have done wrong to this Republic. It is long overdue, and I am glad that the 'minibus' is a step in the right direction.

"Those who broke the law in order to get rich at the expense of the middle class should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Kaptur said that the legislation also restores cuts to food banks, domestic food assistance and highway construction.

The bill also extends the deadline for the U.S. Postal Service to pay $5.5 billion to the U.S. Treasury for future retiree health benefits.