OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

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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.

The mission of OLA is to advise appropriate components of the Department on the development of the Department’s official policies through legislation initiated by the Department, by other parts of the executive branch, or by Members of Congress, and to explain and advocate the Department’s policies to the Congress. The Office also serves as the Attorney General’s focal point for dealing with Department nominees, congressional oversight, congressional correspondence, and congressional requests for documents and access to Department employees.

The major functions of OLA are to:

• Maintain liaison between the Department and the Congress.
• Manage and direct all legislative functions between Congress and the Department.
• Consult with and advise the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General and the Associate Attorney General on controversial matters and policy considerations, important policy decisions, new legislative initiatives, and priority decisions.
• Serve as the Department’s spokesperson with the Congress.
• Issue guidelines or instructions in order to assure a coordinated approach is being taken on legislative actions.
• Participate in the coordination of the Department’s position on all proposed legislation.

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