Office of Legislative Affairs

OLA Organizational Chart

The Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) was established in the Department of Justice on February 2, 1973, by Attorney General Order 504-73 to be the coordinating center for all Department of Justice activities relating to legislation and the Congress. The Office was subsequently reorganized into the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs on January 24, 1984, by Attorney General Order No. 1054-84. Attorney General Order 1097-85 reestablished the Office of Legislative Affairs as an independent office on February 4, 1986. Most recently, on May 2, 2019, the Attorney General established the State and Local Law Enforcement unit within OLA.

The mission of OLA is to represent the Department before Congress and its various committees, managing all interactions regarding cases and investigations, policy, legislation, political appointments and nominations, and other matters in a manner consistent with the Department’s law enforcement, litigation, and national security responsibilities.

The major functions of OLA are to:

• Manage and direct all legislative functions and communications between Congress and the Department.
   
• Develop and implement strategies to advance the Department’s legislative initiatives and other interests relating to Congress.
   
• Articulate the Department’s position on legislation proposed by Congress.
   
• Coordinate the Department’s response to Congressional oversight requests.
   
• Lead preparation for Congressional hearings and briefings involving Department officials.
   
• Manage the Office of Management and Budget interagency legislative clearance process.