Download Locations:
Summary:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the Nation's premier law
enforcement organization responsible for gathering and reporting facts and compiling
evidence in cases involving federal jurisdiction. It has broad jurisdiction in federal
law enforcement and in national security, and is a statutory member of the U.S.
Intelligence Community. From its official inception in 1908, the FBI's mission,
jurisdiction, and resources have grown substantially in parallel with the real or
perceived threats to American society, culture, political institutions, and overall
security. In FY2003 the organization has approximately 26,000 employees, about
12,000 of whom are Special Agents. The FBI has had many successes in countering
criminal and hostile foreign intelligence and terrorist activity in its storied history.
However, in its zeal to protect U.S. national security, the FBI occasionally exceeded
its mandate and infringed upon the protected rights of U.S. citizens. Currently, the
FBI is undergoing a massive reorganization to shift its culture from reaction to crimes
already committed to detection, deterrence and prevention of terrorist attacks against
U.S. interests. The FBI continues to be a major domestic and international force in
the war against terrorism. The FBI, one element of the U.S. Department of Justice,
is led by a Director appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the
Senate. The Director is appointed for a single 10-year term to insulate the
investigative agency from tacit or perceived political pressures. The FBI Director is
not a member of the President's Cabinet, although he reports to one - the U.S.
Attorney General. The current organizational schema of the FBI has three main
elements: Headquarters, 56 Field Offices, and 45 Legal Attaches overseas. The
degree of autonomy with which field offices have operated with respect to
Headquarters has oscillated over time. Currently, Headquarters is assuming a more
assertive role in directing field activities and demanding accountability, particularly
with respect to the FBI's national security responsibilities. While the FBI has long
had counterterrorism as a top tier priority, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001
were a catalyst for developing a definitive list of ranked priorities. On May 29, 2002,
counterterrorism became the FBI's sole number one priority. Other major priorities
include countering foreign intelligence activity directed against the United States,
countering cybercrime, and working against public corruption. The FBI's priorities
continue to reflect its traditional law enforcement mission, but the FBI's national
security mission has assumed an unprecedented degree of prominence. In order to
successfully implement its mission, the FBI has extensive relationships with other
federal executive agencies, including other members of the U.S. Intelligence
Community. It also has an important network of relationships with state and local
law enforcement, and overseas law enforcement agencies and security services.
Relevant pending bills include H.R. 1157, H.R. 2867, S. 410, S. 1158, S. 1440, S.
1507, and S. 1520. Issues for the Congress involve whether: (1) the FBI can
sufficiently adapt its law enforcement culture to deter, detect, and prevent terrorism;
(2) some of the FBI's criminal jurisdiction should be devolved to state and local law
enforcement; (3) a statutory charter for the FBI should be developed; and (4) the
planned co-location of the FBI's operational Counterterrorism Division with the
newly formed Terrorist Threat Integration Center provides an opportunity for foreign
intelligence entities to engage in domestic intelligence activities.
