FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2003 WWW.USDOJ.GOV AG (202) 514-2008 TDD (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON, D.C.- Attorney General John Ashcroft today announced that the President's FY 2004 budget proposal includes $23.3 billion for the Department of Justice. Of the $23.3 billion requested, $19 billion is for discretionary spending, which would include a 6.3 percent increase in spending for federal law enforcement programs such as the FBI. The budget request for the Department of Justice reflects the high priority of securing the resources needed to fight the war on terrorism.
"Following the attacks of Sept. 11, the Department of Justice mobilized the resources of our law enforcement and justice system to meet a single, overarching goal: to prevent future terrorist attacks on the United States and its citizens," said Ashcroft. "The President's budget recognizes that protecting our nation and our citizens must be our first priority. The budget also provides for the Justice Department's commitment to ensuring civil rights and to preventing and combating corporate corruption, crimes against children, as well as drug related crime." To restore confidence in the integrity of our financial markets and to reinforce the Department's commitment to enforce vigorously the laws that support the free and fair competition on which our economy is predicated, the Department has requested over $24 million to combat corporate fraud.
"President Bush issued a clear order when he created the Corporate Fraud Task Force: we must restore confidence in the integrity of our markets," said Deputy Attorney General Larry D. Thompson, Chairman of the Corporate Fraud Task Force. "We will continue to investigate fully the reports of corporate fraud, and hold accountable to the fullest extent of the law those individuals and entities who violate the public trust, undermine our free enterprise system and put at risk the retirement savings of American workers." The Department has identified eight critical areas for additional funding totalling $1.264 billion: * $598.2 million toward preventing and combating terrorism; * $24.5 million toward combating corporate fraud; * $19.1 million toward preventing crimes against children; * $117.9 million toward reducing drug use and fighting drug crime; * $101.2 million toward enhancing DNA programs; * $326.1 million toward judicial system protection as well as managing federal detention and incarceration capacity; * $41.5 million for financial and information technology management and security; and * $35 million for other important activities such as prosecuting illegal transportation of hazardous materials, participating in INTERPOL's multinational law enforcement efforts and providing educational assistance to the survivors of safety officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
I. PREVENTING AND COMBATING TERRORISM, INCLUDING COUNTERINTELLIGENCE: $598.2 Million Increase In the hours after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, President Bush charged the Attorney General with preventing additional terrorist attacks against America. That order dramatically altered the Department's focus and priorities - the terrorism prevention being the top priority.
* Federal Bureau of Investigation * Counterterrorism Management, Investigations and Analysis: $74.6 million and 892 positions (149 agents) * Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force: $60.6 million * Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) Program: $11.5 million * Computer Intrusion Program (CIP): $41.1 million and 113 positions (53 agents) * Internet Tip Line: $1.2 million and 19 positions.
* Increases for national security and criminal enterprise programs, in addition to counterterrorism: * Counterintelligence: $69.9 million and 583 positions (94 agents) * Information Technology (IT) Projects: $82.2 million and 3 positions * Response Capabilities: $24.2 million and 35 positions (7 agents) * Consular Support/Overseas Operations: $61.8 million and 82 positions (19 agents) * Computer Analysis Response Team (CART): $18 million and 45 positions * Training: $17.6 million and 111 positions (76 agents) * National Security Law Unit: $1.4 million and 14 positions * Security: $37.1 million and 120 positions (32 agents) * Field Support: $14.9 million and 300 positions II.COMBATING CORPORATE FRAUD: $24.5 million increase To restore confidence in the integrity of our markets, President Bush created the Corporate Fraud Task Force, chaired by the Deputy Attorney General, to bring the maximum combined force of the federal government to investigate and prosecute corporate fraud. The budget supports the Corporate Fraud Task Force by committing additional investigators, prosecutors and financial analysts to search out and eradicate corporate fraud.
* $16.0 million and 118 positions (56 agents) to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for staff and resources to target major corporate fraud cases.
* $7.9 million and 88 positions (18 attorneys) to the U.S. Attorneys * $374,000 and 4 positions to the Criminal Division * $220,000 and 2 positions (2 attorneys) to the Tax Division III.DRUG ENFORCEMENT AND TREATMENT: $117.9 Million Increase Combating illegal drug trafficking and the continued wave of violent crime associated with it remain among the Department's highest priorities. The cornerstone of the Department's drug strategy is the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program that received a $58 MILLION increase. The request includes additional resources to expand financial investigations as well as to increase support for combating the world's top drug trafficking organizations. To further enhance law enforcement coordination, this budget consolidates OCDETF funding for participating agencies within the Department of Justice, adding an additional $108 MILLION.
* Automated Investigative Technology: $22 million * Expand Investigations of Major Targets: $26 million and 192 positions * Expand Financial and Money Laundering Investigations: $10 million and 83 positions * Drug Courts: $16.6 million (OJP) * Priority Targeting: $38.9 million and 329 positions (123 agents) to target Priority Drug Trafficking (DEA) * International Training: $1.5 million and 20 positions (16 agents) to provide permanent authority for international drug law enforcement (DEA) * Southeast Laboratory (Miami): $7.8 million (DEA) * Transitional Drug Treatment Program: $427,000 and 12 positions (BOP) IV.PREVENTING CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN: $19.1 Million Increase Children today face dangers wholly new to any previous generation. This budget supports efforts to combat child pornography, particularly online child pornography, prevent child abductions and reduce gun crime.
* Innocent Images National Initiative (IINI): $3.6 million and 32 positions (FBI) * Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative: $13 million, 118 positions, 62 agents (ATF) * AMBER Alert: $2.5 million (OJP) V.ENHANCING DNA PROGRAMS: $101.2 Million Increase Forensic DNA analysis has rapidly developed into a vital tool in an increasing number of investigative efforts. The FY 2004 budget request provides $177 million to assist state and local governments in reducing DNA backlogs and improving DNA analysis capabilities; as well other forensic DNA activities.
* Forensic DNA Program: $3.3 million and 32 positions to expand FBI's capacity to collect analyze and store DNA forensic evidence. (FBI) * DNA Enhancements: $97.9 million to supplement and expand forensic DNA programs. (OJP) VI.JUDICIAL SYSTEM PROTECTION AND MANAGING FEDERAL DETENTION AND INCARCERATION: $326 Million Increase With the enemy targeting our homeland and terrorist trials underway, the FY 2004 budget request provides significant resources needed to improve courtroom security. The budget also requests additional funds to manage the 4% growth in the federal prison population.
* Protection of the Judiciary: $26.6 million and 275 positions (231 Deputy U.S. Marshals) to enhance judicial security (USMS) * Activation of New Facilities: $251.9 million and 2,727 positions (BOP) * Contract Confinement for Female Inmates: $12.9 million (BOP) * Housing Federal Detainees: $34.7 million (Detention Trustee) VII.FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY: $41.5 Million Increase In the realm of information technology, criminals and terrorists target substantial resources to harm our country and our citizens. We will not allow those who seek to harm us have a competitive advantage in technology. Therefore, in addition to funding law enforcement efforts specifically (mentioned above), the FY 2004 budget request includes funding for a number of critical information technology initiatives.
* Justice Consolidated Office Network Deployment: $17 million (JCON) * Information Technology: $9.5 million and 13 positions to strengthen the Department's management and oversight of information technology (IT) security * Financial Management: $15 million for the Department's Unified Financial Management System VIII.LITIGATION, SECURITY NEEDS, INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS: $35 Million Increase * Civil Defensive Litigation: $5.6 million and 60 positions (35 attorneys) for urgent civil defensive litigation needs arising from greater demands associated with the implementation of the anti-terrorism programs after Sept. 11, 2001 (US Attorneys) * Immigration Litigation: $3.5 million and 30 positions to handle high-profile immigration cases that implicate the integrity of the September 11th investigation and the federal government's response (CIVIL).
* Tribal Trust Fund: $3.1 million and 20 positions (15 attorneys) to defend the United States in lawsuits filed by Indian Tribes seeking billions of dollars for alleged mismanagement of Tribal assets by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (ENRD).
* Hazardous Materials Transportation: $1.1 million and 12 positions (8 attorneys) to seek out and prosecute violators of hazardous material transportation and handling laws (ENRD).
* INTERPOL Dues Payments: $932,000 to focus on combating international terrorism.
* Public Safety Officers Educational Assistance Program: $3.5 million for dependents of public safety officers either killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty, who seek educational assistance (OJP).
* IT Infrastructure: $5.7 million * Litigation Support: $4.7 million and 85 positions * Building Security: $6.5 million for improved perimeter security and guard services.
CROSSCUTTING EFFICIENCIES AND PROGRAM REDUCTIONS The Department continues to evaluate its programs and operations with the goal of achieving both component-specific and departmental economies of scale, increased efficiencies and cost savings. Aided by ongoing reviews of our business practices, we are beginning a comprehensive, multi-year process to implement a wide range of streamlining and efficiency measures that will result in substantial savings and present additional opportunities to redirect resources to our counterterrorism efforts. 03-067
Source: US Department of Justice
