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CNN Live Today

Congress Looking Over Proposed Changes at FBI

Aired June 21, 2002 - 11:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Congress is looking over proposed changes at the FBI this morning.

Congressional correspondent Kate Snow is on Capitol Hill.

Good morning, Kate.

KATE SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. FBI director Robert Mueller testifying today about his plans to reorganize the FBI. You will remember he announced this several weeks ago. Among the plans that he has is shifting agents, about 500 of them, over to counterterrorism to make that the real focus of the FBI. Also shifting some who work in the field now as counterterrorism agents to the headquarters here in Washington.

He's testifying now before this House subcommittee, taking a lot of questions about the structure, the workings of this plan, how is it exactly going to work. For the most part, the members on this panel are being quite complimentary of his plan to remake the FBI, saying that they agree that there needs to be shift in the focus. But one member saying that we have to be a little careful if we're going to pour a lot of money in, as he suggested was needed, we have to be sure it's going to work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we are to go on record as adding more money to an agency like yours, which we have to know that your agency there is the right focus and that it is not wasting resources.

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SNOW: Obey also said, you know, this agency is about three quarters of the size of my hometown, making the point that the FBI is a giant organization. He said, you know, by our standards, that's a pretty big-sized town. He says he thinks they do need possibly to grow a little bit more. One other thing that happened this morning in conjunction with this hearing is the General Accounting Office, the GAO, which is sort of the investigative arm of Congress, was asked to look at the plan, Mueller's plan to reorganize. They've come out with a report, and their report generally favorable, but saying that maybe down the road, they'll even need to add even more agents -- they may have to add more agents to the effort to fight terrorism.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: All right, Kate Snow, reporting live for us from Capitol Hill this morning. Thank you.

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