Secret Service – Investigation versus Protection Trade-offs

Secret Service - Investigation versus Protection Trade-offs

Thank you Mr. Chairman, and welcome to Director Sullivan.

Director Sullivan, you come before us today at an interesting time in the Secret Service's history. Every four years, the Secret Service must ramp up for a presidential campaign. This budget request reflects that, but it also reflects the fact that the current list of prospective candidates does not include a sitting President or Vice President - something that hasn't happened in a modern Presidential campaign.

In practical terms, this means that your already-stretched personnel and resources are going to be stretched even further. I say "already-stretched" because the protection work of the Secret Service has grown in magnitude and complexity since 9/11. For example, the number of protectees under your responsibility has doubled since 2002; at the same time, the Global War on Terror is driving up the intensity of your protective operations.

Yet your resources will be further stretched as you anticipate an almost two-thirds increase in the amount of protection required during the 2008 presidential election from the election held just four years ago. On the investigative side, the Secret Service continues to lead federal investigations on electronic crimes, financial institution fraud, and counterfeiting. We have seen some impressive and exciting results from your electronic and cyber crimes teams over the last few years - much of which we cannot discuss in this open setting. You continue to protect our nation's economy from counterfeiters, both recreational and state-sponsored. And your investigative efforts routinely provide valuable assistance to not only federal, state, and local agencies, but also to non-governmental organizations and private industry.

My concern, however, is that the successes we have seen from the Secret Service's Investigation Division are in jeopardy. Not only are your Special Agents devoting just a third of their time to investigations, significantly lower than the 50-50 split between protection and investigations that we have discussed the last few years, but you are shifting a total of 250 FTEs from Investigations to Protection in support of the presidential elections.

While I understand the need for Protection and the demands of the looming campaign, I worry about the impact this will have on investigations, and am concerned that the great strides which have been made are at risk. Director, I trust you will tell us your plans to balance the dual mission of protection and investigations - especially as we enter into a very difficult presidential campaign year for the Secret Service.

You have our trust and support, and I look forward to your testimony. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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