[ISN] FC: Ashcroft asks for cash to break crypto, protect networks

From: InfoSec News <isn_at_C4I.ORG>
Date: Sun 29 Apr 2001 - 03:27:21 CDT
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 13:32:18 -0400
From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
To: politech@politechbot.com
Subject: FC: Ashcroft asks for cash to break crypto, protect networks

*********

Here's an excerpt:
   The Department of Justice, with the strong support and
   leadership of your Subcommittee, has acted aggressively to prevent,
   mitigate, and investigate acts of terrorism, including the use of
   weapons of mass destruction, and the emerging threat of cybercrime.
   For FY 2002, we are requesting $107.96 million in additional funding
   to support the Department's counterterrorism, cybercrime, and
   counterintelligence efforts.
   [...]
   Within this amount, $28.14 million
   will support the FBI's counter-encryption capabilities, and the
   development of cyber technologies for the interception and management
   of digital evidence.

-Declan

*********

                                 STATEMENT

                                     OF

                               JOHN ASHCROFT

                      BEFORE THE UNITED STATES SENATE

                        COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

               SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE,

                     THE JUDICIARY AND RELATED AGENCIES

                               April 26, 2001

   Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:

   It is both an honor and a pleasure to appear before you this morning
   to present President Bush's first budget request for the Department of
   Justice. For Fiscal Year 2002, the President's budget seeks $24.65
   billion for the Department of Justice, including $20.94 billion in
   discretionary spending authority and $3.71 billion in mandatory
   resources, such as fees. This budget seeks to fulfill our basic
   federal law enforcement responsibilities, address emerging technology
   and critical infrastructure needs, and focus on the Administration's
   priorities of reducing gun crime, combating drug use, guaranteeing the
   rights of all Americans, and empowering communities in their continued
   fight against crime.

   While the fiscal year 2002 budget request maintains the same overall
   amount of discretionary spending authority as was provided by this
   Subcommittee in FY 2001, we have managed to enhance a number of key
   areas. The budget includes a general shift in spending from state and
   local law enforcement in order to support our core federal law
   enforcement mission, and better target assistance to areas of greatest
   need, such as crime in our schools, crimes committed with firearms,
   and violence against women. The Community Oriented Policing Services
   (COPS) program is continued at a somewhat reduced level, with
   resources targeted for school safety, law enforcement technology
   needs, and reducing DNA backlogs. The COPS request does not disrupt or
   affect the commitments made to put 100,000 more police on the streets
   and, in fact, goes further by proposing to hire up to an additional
   1,500 School Resource Officers.

              Basic Law Enforcement  The Core Federal Mission

   The budget I present to you today first addresses the basic law
   enforcement responsibilities of the Department of Justice. The mission
   of the Department is clear: to enforce the law and defend the
   interests of the United States according to the law; to provide
   leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just
   punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; to administer and
   enforce the nation's immigration laws fairly and effectively; and to
   ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.
   The FY 2002 budget includes $1.057 billion in program increases to
   enable the Department to carry out its mission, particularly in the
   areas of detention and incarceration, antiterrorism, cybercrime, and
   counterintelligence.

   Increased Detention and Incarceration Capacity

   The number of inmates in the Federal Prison System has more than
   doubled since 1990 as a result of tougher sentencing guidelines,
   mandatory minimum sentences, the abolition of parole, and increased
   federal law enforcement efforts. This surge in the prison population
   continually tests the limits of our detention and incarceration
   capacity. The FY 2002 budget for the Department of Justice includes a
   $949.5 million increase in funding to support the federal
   responsibility of detaining individuals awaiting trial or sentencing
   in federal court, and incarcerating inmates who have been sentenced to
   prison for federal crimes.

   The rapid growth in the federal inmate population is expected to
   continue. Despite the investment of nearly $5 billion for prison
   construction over the past decade, the prison system is currently
   operating at 32 percent over its rated capacity -- up from 22 percent
   at the end of 1997. These conditions could jeopardize public safety
   and cannot be ignored. The FY 2002 budget seeks an additional $809.27
   million for the Bureau of Prisons to reduce overcrowding and
   accommodate future growth. Specifically, $669.97 million is requested
   to fund the construction of three Federal Corrections Institutions and
   four United States Penitentiaries; partial site and planning funds for
   two female facilities and two male facilities; and $139.3 million is
   requested for the activation of the Federal Corrections Institute in
   Petersburg, Virginia, and the United States Penitentiary and work camp
   in Lee County, Virginia; and, the contract confinement costs to meet
   the anticipated increase in the federal prison population.

   To increase the detention capacity and staffing necessary to keep pace
   with the growth in INS enforcement activities, the Department's
   request includes an increase of $74.2 million. Within this amount is
   $42.3 million in new resources to support the staffing,
   transportation, medical, and removal costs associated with the
   utilization of an additional 1,607 detention beds in FY 2002. And,
   $31.9 million in new resources will support detention planning and
   construction costs associated with additional detention bedspace and
   other improvements at INS Service Processing Centers. INS's detention
   and removal efforts will suffer if additional reliable bedspace is not
   created. In many INS districts, contracting for detention space is not
   a viable option, considering the remoteness of the locations in which
   INS operates.

   The workload of the United States Marshals Service is, in many ways,
   unpredictable in that the Marshals' organization must meet the needs
   of the Judiciary and our investigators and prosecutors. The Marshals
   do not control the number of threats that judges may be confronted
   with, nor the number of prisoners coming into its custody. For FY
   2002, our request includes $64.4 million in increased funding for the
   United States Marshals Service to cover the medical and housing costs
   associated with an increase of one million jail days for Marshals
   Service detainees held in non-federal facilities; to address the
   anticipated workload increases as a result of the D.C. Revitalization
   Act; for the staffing and equipping of courthouses that are new or
   undergoing significant renovations; and to support the costs of
   increased prisoner movements.

   Also included within the Department's requested increase for
   incarceration and detention is a critically needed $1.65 million for
   the United States Parole Commission to support anticipated workload
   increases associated with its takeover of the District of Columbia's
   parole revocation and supervised release hearing functions, as
   outlined in the D.C. Revitalization Act.

   Counterterrorism, Cybercrime, and Counterintelligence Efforts

   Preventing terrorism, deterring computer crime, and thwarting foreign
   espionage are among the most serious challenges facing law enforcement
   today. The Department of Justice, with the strong support and
   leadership of your Subcommittee, has acted aggressively to prevent,
   mitigate, and investigate acts of terrorism, including the use of
   weapons of mass destruction, and the emerging threat of cybercrime.
   For FY 2002, we are requesting $107.96 million in additional funding
   to support the Department's counterterrorism, cybercrime, and
   counterintelligence efforts.

   The nation's growing dependency on technology systems has resulted in
   a heightened vulnerability of our banking system, critical
   transportation networks, and vital government services, while also
   significantly increasing the incidence and complexity of crime. To
   address the emerging cyber threat, the FY 2002 budget includes $33
   million in increased resources. Within this amount, $28.14 million
   will support the FBI's counter-encryption capabilities, and the
   development of cyber technologies for the interception and management
   of digital evidence. For the U.S. Attorneys, $2.95 million is included
   to support 24 new positions for the prosecution of crimes committed
   using the Internet. And, $1.9 million is included for the Criminal
   Division for 14 new positions to continue coordinating the rising
   number of investigations and prosecutions of multi-jurisdictional
   national and international intrusion; denial of service attacks and
   virus cases; and to provide increased network security and encryption
   capabilities for its automated infrastructure.

   To combat the threat of terrorism, the FY 2002 budget includes $39.4
   million in new funding. For the FBI, $32 million is requested for
   security and investigative duties at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt
   Lake City, Utah; for increased security requirements at various FBI
   locations; and, to support its incident response readiness
   responsibilities. In addition, recognizing the critical role state and
   local public safety agencies have in managing the consequences of any
   terrorist event involving weapons of mass destruction, the
   Department's budget request includes $220.5 million to continue the
   Office of Justice Programs' Counterterrorism programs in FY 2002 and
   ensure state and local response readiness. For the INS, $6.59 million
   in new funding is included to establish intelligence units along our
   northern and southern borders. These units will monitor terrorist
   activities and smuggling operations, and assist in tracking the
   movement of illicit narcotics, weapons, and other contraband across
   our nation's borders.

   The Department's FY 2002 budget also requests $31.6 million in
   additional funding to allow the FBI to more completely and effectively
   assess and defeat foreign intelligence threats to our national
   security. Included within this amount is funding for the Criminal
   Division to continue assisting the FBI with investigations involving
   counterintelligence, particularly those involving espionage and high
   technology export violations.

                Technology and Critical Infrastructure Needs

   Coordination between federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement
   agencies is crucial to crime solving and criminal apprehension. The
   pooling of information and resources can greatly increase efficiency
   and decrease the time involved in solving a case. Because law
   enforcement agencies have developed a reliance on one another for
   accurate and timely information, our crime fighting agencies must
   maintain up-to-date information systems and develop secure processes
   for sharing this information. The FY 2002 budget request includes $302
   million in new funding to address these needs, focusing on systems
   integration, upgrades, network reliability, efficient processes, and
   state-of-the-art technologies. In addition, the Department plans to
   request the use of $67 million from its Working Capital Fund for
   infrastructure needs.

   For the FBI, our budget request includes $67.7 million to support the
   second year of Trilogy, the FBI's 3-year information technology
   upgrade plan. Another $6.5 million will permit the acquisition of
   communication circuits that will support faster transmission of data
   and greater network reliability. For activation of the new FBI
   Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, we are seeking $1.16 million in
   direct spending and the use of up to $40 million from the Department's
   Working Capital Fund. To continue the critically needed integration of
   the INS and FBI Fingerprint Identification Systems, we are seeking $28
   million  $1 million in direct spending and the use of up to $27
   million from the Working Capital Fund. This funding will be used to
   improve INS fingerprinting capabilities, and integrate the INS
   Automated Biometrics Identification System (IDENT) with the FBI's
   Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). This
   investment of resources will better equip us to prevent a recurrence
   of an incident similar to the Rafael Resendiz-Ramirez serial killings
   that occurred in 1999.

   To directly assist state and local law enforcement agencies with their
   technology needs, the FY 2002 budget includes an increase of $225.7
   million in grant funding. Specifically, the Department is requesting
   $20.7 million for Crime Identification Technology Act (CITA) funding;
   $35 million to address the backlog of state convicted offender DNA and
   crime scene DNA samples that exist nationwide; $35 million for the
   Crime Lab Improvement Program (CLIP) to improve the general forensic
   science capabilities of laboratories; $35 million for the Criminal
   Records Upgrade Program to promote compatibility among criminal
   history, criminal justice, and identification record systems
   nationwide; and $100 million for technology grants for state and local
   law enforcement under the COPS program. The FY 2002 budget
   significantly increases the funding available to state and local law
   enforcement for technology initiatives  a natural follow-on to the
   COPS program that provided additional officers on the street. Now we
   need to ensure state and local law enforcement is adequately equipped
   with the best technology to do its job.

                       Bush Administration Priorities

   The budget I present to you today also focuses on several key areas
   that are reflective of the priorities of the Bush Administration.
   During my confirmation hearings, I said I believe a citizen's
   paramount civil right is safety. Americans have a right to be secure
   in their persons, homes and communities. Gun violence, violence
   against women, drug crime, and sexual predators all threaten to deny
   this most fundamental right. It is a core responsibility of
   government, led by the Attorney General and the Department of Justice,
   cooperating with local law enforcement officials, to secure this
   right. Our FY 2002 budget provides $650 million in additional funding
   to advance this effort. Children do not learn in schools overrun by
   neighborhood violence. Jobs will not be found in communities where
   criminals own the streets, and no American who now feels threatened
   should have to move to live in a safer neighborhood.

   Reducing Gun Crime

   I announced at the outset of my tenure as Attorney General that one of
   my top priorities would be the formation of a new firearms enforcement
   initiative, along with a task force to develop and implement this
   initiative. This group includes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and
   Firearms and various components from within the Department of Justice,
   including the Office of the Attorney General, FBI, Criminal Division,
   Executive Office of United States Attorneys, and others. They have
   been meeting regularly and I look forward to hearing their
   recommendations in the next several weeks.

   There is no question that we need a renewed commitment to the vigorous
   enforcement of existing laws addressing gun crime. The recent spate of
   gun violence on school campuses and the alarming rate at which gang
   related violence occurs in schools, on playgrounds, and at parks
   throughout the country highlight the need for federal prosecutors to
   work with state and local law enforcement to pursue serious juvenile
   offenders. I intend to renew enforcement efforts in this area by
   building on successes in existing jurisdictions and by developing a
   comprehensive strategy to target gun violence. The FY 2002 budget
   request for the Department of Justice takes the first step toward this
   goal and includes $153.78 million in increased resources to vigorously
   enforce gun laws through increased prosecutions, strategic approaches
   to crimes committed with firearms, and ensuring that child safety
   locks are available for every handgun in America.

   For the U.S. Attorneys, $9 million is included to support Project
   Sentry, a new federal-state law enforcement partnership to identify
   and prosecute juveniles who violate state and federal firearms laws
   and the adults who supply them with guns. This funding will be used to
   hire a prosecutor in each of the 94 U.S. Attorneys' Offices around the
   country who will focus on gun crimes involving or affecting juveniles,
   including school-related violence and trafficking firearms to minors.

   Another $20 million will be provided to Project Sentry through the
   COPS program and the Juvenile Justice Title V program. This funding
   establishes safe school task forces across the country that will also
   prosecute and supervise juveniles who carry or use guns illegally, as
   well as the adults who illegally furnish firearms to them.

   Within the Office of Justice Programs, $49.78 million is requested for
   a new gun violence program that will provide grants to encourage
   states to increase the prosecution of gun criminals and assist them by
   providing funding to establish programs that target gun criminals
   through increased arrests and prosecutions and public awareness to
   deter gun crime. This funding will support Project Exile and Project
   Ceasefire type programs that vigorously enforce our gun laws and send
   a clear signal that our culture will not tolerate the illegal use of
   firearms.

   Another $75 million is included for Child Safe, a new program that
   will provide funds to ensure child safety locks are available for
   every handgun in America. The Office of Justice Programs will provide
   $65 million annually to state and local governments on a
   dollar-for-dollar matching basis. Locks will be distributed by local
   municipalities, counties, or private organizations. The annual federal
   matching funds will also be available to match private contributions
   by organizations seeking assistance in the goal of providing locks for
   every handgun in America. The remaining $10 million will be spent,
   annually, on administrative costs and advertising, including a
   national toll-free hotline to make sure all parents are aware of the
   program.

   Combating Drug Use

   The cost of illegal drug use to this nation continues to rise and is
   borne by all Americans through tax dollars for increased law
   enforcement, incarceration, treatment programs, and medical needs.
   Estimates of the total cost exceed $100 billion annually, yet do not
   begin to capture the human costs associated with drug abuse that are
   measured in wasted human capital, and the pain and suffering of many
   American families. The FY 2002 budget for the Department of Justice
   includes $77.2 million in additional resources for law enforcement
   agencies to combat illegal drug use.

   Specifically, our budget requests $58.16 million in enhancements for
   the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Included within this amount
   is $30 million and 3 positions for DEA's global information technology
   and intelligence network, FIREBIRD. This funding will enable the DEA
   to complete its deployment, provide network security, and support
   technology renewal of the system. Another $15 million and 62 positions
   are included to provide critical support for DEA's role in the
   interagency Special Operations Division, and DEA's Investigative
   Technology programs, particularly for investigations associated with
   the Southwest Border, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia.
   To meet mission critical requirements within the laboratory services
   program, $13.1 million and 69 positions are also included. This
   request will give DEA sufficient chemist resources to address a
   growing backlog of exhibits, and establish a laboratory equipment base
   that will better support program operations.

   The production and use of methamphetamine (meth) has been on the rise
   over the past few years, and the number of meth laboratories has
   increased dramatically across the country. In 1998 and 1999 combined,
   law enforcement agencies seized meth labs in every state except 3.
   Meth lab enforcement and clean-up efforts are complicated by the
   presence of hazardous materials produced during the manufacturing
   process. Cleaning up these labs is a costly and risky business posing
   life-threatening consequences to our law enforcement officials who
   come across these labs, as well as severe and toxic environmental
   damage to the surrounding area. State and local law enforcement
   agencies can be overwhelmed by the need to confront even one large
   laboratory. Meth dealers and drug organizations have targeted rural
   communities, places where many of the local law enforcement agencies
   have neither the expertise nor the resources to deal with this serious
   threat. The FY 2002 budget continues to provide $48 million for the
   Office of Justice Programs to assist state and local law enforcement
   agencies with the costs associated with meth cleanup and to aid meth
   enforcement.

   While law enforcement is an effective and essential tool in combating
   the violent crime associated with illegal drug use in communities
   throughout our nation, treatment for the individual abuser is also
   important. Our FY 2002 request includes $14 million to expand
   residential substance abuse treatment in federal and state prison
   systems. We have also requested $5 million for the National Institute
   of Justice to expand the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) program
   to 15 additional sites across the country, so that more communities
   will have sound data about the links between drugs and crime on which
   to base their law enforcement policies and offender treatment
   practices.

   Guaranteeing Rights for All Americans

   The Department of Justice has a unique role in guaranteeing the rights
   of all Americans. This role includes promoting the enforcement of our
   nation's civil rights laws and deterring violent crimes against women.
   Through the efforts of the Civil Rights Division, the Community
   Relations Service, the United States Attorneys Offices, the FBI, and
   the Office of Justice Programs, the Department seeks to protect the
   civil rights and liberties guaranteed to all Americans. The FY 2002
   budget includes an increase of $105.7 million to further its role in
   this area.

   Specifically, we have requested a $102.5 million increase in Violence
   Against Women Act programs to support new and existing programs.
   Authorized under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection
   Act of 2000, the budget includes: $15 million for the Safe Havens for
   Children Pilot Grant Program; $40 million for the Legal Assistance for
   Victims Program; $10 million for the Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes
   Against Women on Campus Program; $5 million for a new Elder Abuse,
   Neglect and Exploitation Program; and $7.5 million for education and
   training to end violence against and abuse of women with disabilities.

   Our request also includes $1.2 million in funding to support three
   studies by the Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice
   Statistics. The first study will deal with police initiated stops of
   motorists for routine traffic violations. The second study will deal
   with deaths while in law enforcement custody as required under the
   Deaths in Custody Act. The third study will measure victimization of
   the population with disabilities in the United States.

   For the Civil Rights Division, the FY 2002 budget includes a $2
   million enhancement to address several important initiatives,
   including enforcement of the newly enacted Trafficking Victims
   Protection Act of 2000, which affords expanded protections and
   services for trafficking victims and creates several new federal
   crimes for which the Division is the lead component with respect to
   enforcement. With the FY 2002 allocation, the Division will be able to
   hire additional prosecutors and conduct a community outreach program.

   The FY 2002 funding will also help the Civil Rights Division implement
   the President's New Freedom Initiative to assist persons with
   disabilities, including expanded outreach to America's small business
   sector, improved access to information technologies and voting, and
   swift implementation of the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision to
   provide services to people with disabilities in community-based
   settings. The FY 2002 budget includes funding for new attorney hires
   that will allow the Civil Rights Division to undertake a broad voting
   rights initiative aimed at ensuring voter access and the integrity of
   the voting process. Our FY 2002 budget request also includes funding
   to increase the Division's presence in employer and other communities
   to prevent immigration-related unfair employment practices.

   Empowering Communities in their Fight Against Crime

   The active involvement of communities throughout America is a critical
   and necessary resource in our fight against crime. By broadening the
   base of resources available at the local level, communities will be
   better equipped to provide their citizens with the tools necessary to
   ensure a safe environment in which their children can grow and learn.
   Nowhere is this more evident than in the success of the Weed and Seed
   Program where communities work in partnership with federal, state, and
   local law enforcement agencies to target criminals, "weed" them out of
   their neighborhoods with swift and certain prosecution, and then go to
   work to take back the houses, schools, and recreation centers, that
   made the communities a safe haven and home to so many. President
   Bush's FY 2002 budget includes a $25 million increase for the Weed and
   Seed program  building upon an initiative that was first started
   during his father's Administration  and with the active support of
   many on this Subcommittee.

   The FY 2002 budget also includes $5 million for the development of a
   faith-based, pre-release pilot program at four federal prisons. The
   pilot will include male and female programs at different geographic
   sites and security levels. This faith-based initiative -- which will
   be voluntary and open to inmates of any faith, or no faith at all --
   aims to combat crime and curb recidivism so that ex-offenders can
   remain ex-offenders. Religion and crime are age-old enemies, and a
   growing body of empirical evidence shows the potency of the "faith
   factor" to change behavior. This model initiative, with a strong focus
   on one-on-one, post-prison aftercare, will offer moral guidance and a
   caring community to help ex-offenders re-enter society with hope and
   responsibility.

   Improving Immigration Services and Border Enforcement

   The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has two principal
   functions: enforcement and service. Right now, the INS's performance
   is widely criticized. This Administration intends to turn the agency
   around. Restructuring of the INS will be a top priority. The FY 2002
   budget includes an additional $240.14 million for immigration-related
   activities.

   The Bush Administration is committed to building and maintaining an
   immigration services system that ensures integrity, provides services
   accurately and in a timely manner, and emphasizes a culture of
   respect. The FY 2002 budget includes $45 million in increased
   resources to reduce the backlogs in benefits processing. This request,
   combined with $35 million in base funding and $20 million in premium
   processing fees, represents the first $100 million installment in a
   five-year, $500 million initiative to provide quality service to all
   legal immigrants, citizens, businesses, and other INS customers. It
   will enable INS to establish and accomplish a universal six-month
   processing standard for all immigration applications and petitions
   and, through employee performance incentives, make customer
   satisfaction a high priority.

   The FY 2002 budget also includes $75 million for the INS to add 570
   new Border Patrol agents in 2002, with plans to add another 570 in
   2003. With these 1,140 additional agents, the total increase of 5,000
   Border Patrol agents authorized by the Illegal Immigration Reform and
   Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) will be achieved.
   Approximately 11,000 agents will be deployed along the nation's
   northern and southern borders by the end of 2003, 11 percent more than
   the 2001 level of 9,800.

   In support of the additional agents, another $20 million is requested
   in FY 2002 for the INS to increase the deployment of force multiplying
   border enforcement technology. The Integrated Surveillance
   Intelligence System (ISIS) will provide day and night visual coverage
   of the border, can be deployed in rugged terrain and in vast open
   areas, and serves as a deterrent to potential illegal border crossers
   in areas where Border Patrol agents are not immediately visible.

   To address chronic space shortages and facility deficiencies, the FY
   2002 budget includes $42.73 million for INS Border Patrol facility
   construction. Many of the Border Patrol facilities were built prior to
   the 1970's and cannot accommodate the tremendous growth in the number
   of agents.

   For the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR), the FY 2002
   budget includes $4.85 million in increased funding to coordinate with
   INS initiatives, which are anticipated to increase annually the
   Immigration Judge caseload and the Board of Immigration Appeals
   caseload by 10,000 cases. The budget also includes an additional $1.2
   million for the U.S. Attorneys to meet immigration workload generated
   from a rise in habeas corpus petitions filed by detainees held in INS
   custody indefinitely. These detainees have been issued an order of
   deportation but cannot be removed because their country of origin will
   not accept them. Many detainees challenge the legal authority of the
   INS to hold them by petitioning for a writ of habeas corpus. Another
   $1.36 million is requested for the Office of the Inspector General to
   address corruption and civil rights violations involving Department
   employees along the Southwest border.

   To enhance the prosecutorial resources of county prosecutors located
   near the Southwest border, our FY 2002 request includes $50 million.
   Thousands of federal drug arrests occurring near the Southwest border
   are referred to county prosecutors because the quantity of drugs
   seized is too small to meet the threshold set by local U.S. Attorneys
   for prosecution. The Department will devote $50 million to assist
   counties near the Southwest border with the costs of prosecuting and
   detaining these referrals. Grants will be awarded based on Southwest
   border county caseloads for processing, detaining, and prosecuting
   drug and alien cases referred from federal arrestees.

   The Administration will propose splitting INS into two agencies with
   separate chains of command, but reporting to a single policy official
   in the Department of Justice. I support this restructuring, believe
   its time has come, and look forward to working with the Subcommittee
   as the proposal moves through the Congress.

   Redirection of State and Local Resources

   The FY 2002 budget provides over $4.2 billion for state and local law
   enforcement grant programs. Included within the request are newly
   created initiatives or enhancements to existing programs to address
   specific crime problems. These proposals include: an increase in
   Violence Against Women Act funding of more than 35 percent; an
   expansion of the Weed and Seed program; more funding for drug
   treatment in state prisons; increased assistance for state
   prosecutors; and new anti-gun violence programs.

   Reductions are made primarily in four areas: 1) Byrne discretionary
   grants;

   2) the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program; 3) the Local Law
   Enforcement Block Grant Program; and 4) State Prison grants. These
   funding reductions are recommended for programs that have fulfilled
   their original purpose, outlived their authorizations, or are less
   essential to core federal law enforcement functions. This redirection
   in funding will allow the Department to meet many of the federal law
   enforcement agency priorities that I have highlighted for you here
   today.

                                 Conclusion

   Chairman Gregg, Senator Hollings, Members of the Subcommittee, I have
   outlined for you today the principal focus of President Bush's FY 2002
   budget request for the Department of Justice. I am new to the job of
   Attorney General of the United States and am still learning about many
   of the programs we have under our jurisdiction. You both have
   monitored spending by the Department for some time and I look forward
   to your advice and counsel.

   Thank you. I would be pleased to answer any questions you might have.

###



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