Sunday, August 10, 2014

A Bill seeks to de-militarize federal agencies

While on the surface, this looks like a good idea, my only question is if it is to little to late.

From Susanne Posel's site....

House Representative Chris Stewart proposed the Regulatory Agency De-militarization Act (RAD) in order to eliminate federal regulators who are “armed to the teeth and breaking into homes and businesses when there was no reason to think there would be resistance.”


On Stewart’s website, a press release states: “In recent years, numerous federal regulatory agencies – including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Food and Drug Agency (FDA) and the Department of Education (DoE) – have created their own special law enforcement teams to conduct their own arrests and raids. This is in part a product of the 2002 Homeland Security Act , which gave most Offices of Inspector General (OIG) arrest and firearm authority.”

The Kennedy Space Center SWAT team
The Kennedy Space Center SWAT team (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RAD repeals:

  • The OIG’s authority to “arrest and firearm authority”
  • Demands the OIG publish “a complete report detailing all federal agencies, including OIG, with specialized units that receive special tactical or military-style training and that respond to high-risk situations that fall outside the capabilities of regular law enforcement officers”
  • Stops federal agencies “from purchasing machine guns, grenades, and other weaponry regulated under the National Firearms Act ”

Stewart said: “I understand that federal agents must be capable of protecting themselves. But what we have observed goes far beyond providing necessary protection. When there are genuinely dangerous situations involving federal law, that’s the job of the Department of Justice, not regulatory agencies like the FDA or the Department of Education. Not only is it overkill, but having these highly-armed units within dozens of agencies is duplicative, costly, heavy handed, dangerous and destroys any sense of trust between citizens and the federal government.”

Recently it has been reported that many federal agencies have been amassing hollow point bullets and other armory in unprecedented amounts. - New Bill Calls For ‘De-militarization’ of DHS, FBI & Others - Top US World News | Susanne Posel Daily Headlines and Research