Despite Leadership Bluster, Commerce Enforcement in Retreat

Current planning documents in the Trump White House reportedly call for staff reductions  of 30 percent at the Commerce Department..   Earlier reporting had cited a goal at Commerce to slash 20 percent of workers, or nearly 10,000 employees.

Government Executive reports the department has proposed eliminating its funded positions that are currently vacant. It may also indefinitely extend the hiring freeze Trump has implemented across government, which is otherwise slated to expire in April. 

During their senate confirmation hearings, Secretary Howard Lutnik and  Undersecretary for Industry and Security Jeffrey Kessler both emphasized the importance of adequate resourcing for BIS.

In his testimony, Kessler called for increased BIS funding [13507] and Lutnik gave a rousing defense of the Bureau's mission at the BIS Update Conference in Washington last week. [13608]

On Tuesday, Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash) called out the White House for stripping bipartisan national security funding from the continuing resultuion he signed last week, including $50 million from the International Trade Administration and $20 milliuon from the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).   The cuts, not permitted under the law, are about 10 percent of the BIS budget.   

"Cutting off these resources will devastate ongoing national security initiatives that advance our interests across the globe, and I trust Presidents Xi and Putin thank Trump for this latest gift he has delivered them," said Senator Murray 

"Despite its relatively modest size, BIS plays an essential role in maintaining our technological and military edge over our adversaries … and it does all of this annually for less than one-sixth the cost of a Patriot missile battery," a group of Senate Democrats said in a letter to OMB Director Russel Vought.

"This decision will impair essential enforcement activities, embolden our adversaries, endanger American lives and the freedom and safety of individuals living under oppressive regimes, and weaken global security and stability," 

"This decision, if not reversed, will wreak havoc at one of our most important national security agencies,"