expected to feel the impact of those cuts. abc's pierre thomas spoke with the attorney general about his worries over national security. >> reporter: after a top secret fbi briefing on the nation's terror threat, the attorney general issued a stark warning about those deep budget cuts. >> there are not going to be as many fbi agents, atf agents, dea agents, prosecutors are going to be able to do their jobs. they're going to be furloughed. >> reporter: you have members of the republican party saying it's smoke and mirrors, that the administration is crying wolf, that it's fearmongering. >> this is something that will have an impact on the safety of this country. anybody that says that's not true is either lying or saying something that runs contrary to the facts. >> reporter: it's quite clear that many explosive issues were engulfing his department. on capitol hill, a dramatic hearing about the newtown massacre, a reminder of the epic political battle over gun control.