Speeches of Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr.

Thank you all, and especially Senator [Susan] Collins, Senator [Thad] Cochran, Senator [Roger] Wicker, Stephen Ayers, and my good friend Janet Langhart Cohen, for the opportunity to be here this morning.

"Each year, I am impressed – and deeply humbled – when the nominations for the Attorney General’s Awards come across my desk. And I have found that there is no better reminder of the breadth of this department’s commitment to justice – and the depths of experience and expertise that so many of our friends and colleagues bring to even the toughest challenges."

"We cannot – and we will not – allow jurisdictional challenges to stand in the way of investigations that need to traverse national borders. Investigators must be able to share lead information with each other directly and immediately, and then be able to attain swift access to evidence they require to locate and apprehend those who victimize children – and to shut down their exploitative enterprises – before they are able to slip away. This Alliance presents a united effort – and a unique opportunity – to address jurisdictional impediments and ensure that abusers cannot evade detection and prosecution."