U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, R-Huntsville, vice chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi on the Department of Justice’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request in a hearing Tuesday, emphasizing North Alabama’s growing role in national security.
During the hearing, Strong spotlighted Redstone Arsenal and the broader Huntsville area as an essential hub for federal law enforcement and counterterrorism efforts.
“Attorney General Bondi, thank you for being here today. I commend you for your efforts to prioritize President Trump’s America First agenda and commitment to making America safe again,” Strong said. “As you know, I represent Alabama’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Huntsville and Redstone Arsenal.”
Strong voiced his support for FBI Director Patel’s plan to relocate more Bureau operations to Alabama, asking Bondi if she backed the move.
“Yes, we are moving 500 additional personnel from DC to Alabama, to Redstone,” Bondi confirmed. “Redstone is a state-of-the-art facility. It will enhance everything we do. Training for FBI, training for other employees, and Huntsville provides the most cost-effective location with distinct partnership opportunities, and we support all of that that’s happening, and I look forward to visiting it one day.”
Strong noted the powerful federal presence already based at Redstone, including the FBI’s Hazardous Devices School and Terrorist Explosive Device Analytic Center, the ATF’s National Center for Explosives Training and Research, the U.S. Bomb Data Center, and the NIBIN National Correlation and Training Center.
“In my district, we have the FBI, the ATF, DHS working together to address bombing incidents and use of explosives,” Strong said. “Can you discuss how merging the ATF with the DEA will streamline their activities while ensuring their critical and unique capabilities are maintained?”
Bondi responded by emphasizing the complementary missions of the agencies.
“Yes, absolutely. The National Center for Explosive Training and Research at Redstone—it’s pretty remarkable what they do—they oversee the canine operations, I believe, as well as the criminal profiling, the explosives, the arson investigations, and I look forward to working with you,” Bondi said. “I look forward to visiting that. I really want to go to that facility.”
Bondi stressed that the merger would not result in cuts but would eliminate top-level bureaucracy.
“There are no cuts planned for that, and that’s where ATF and DEA, again, can partner together. The drugs and the guns go together. Those agents will be working hand in hand. The bureaucracy at the top will be gone. There will be no redundancy. They will be working hand in hand at that facility and many others throughout our country.”
