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ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCROFT ANNOUNCES $105.72 MILLION FUNDING

WASHINGTON, DC Attorney General John Ashcroft today announced that under the president's budget for 2002, key Department of Justice programs to guarantee the rights of all Americans will receive a funding increase of $105.72 million, up 6.7% from last year.

"No American should feel outside the protection of the law, or beyond the reach of the law," Ashcroft said. "It is our most serious responsibility to respect the individual dignity and freedom of people and guard the rights of all citizens. Racism and discrimination simply will not be tolerated. With this funding, we will protect voting rights, prevent worker exploitation and human trafficking and increase accessibility for Americans with disabilities."

The Department's Office of Justice programs' funding increase of $800 thousand will enable better data collection regarding traffic stops by police. Last month, Attorney General Ashcroft announced a Department initiative to review the nature and extent of racial profiling, and the increased funding for data collection will help to better understand the problem.

A funding increase of $391 thousand and 5 additional positions will implement the Attorney General's Voting Rights Initiative. The resources will target enforcing voting rights and providing resources to state and local governments on the issue of voting reform.

The budget also brings an additional $156 thousand and 2 positions to the Department's Civil Rights Division Office of Special Counsel to prevent discrimination before it occurs. The resources will allow the Department to increase its presence in business and other communities and enhance funding for technical assistance to businesses seeking to comply with civil rights laws.

A funding increase of $770 thousand and 12 new positions will implement the Attorney General's effort to enforce the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act of 2000. The increase will help identify victims of worker exploitation and human trafficking and facilitate prosecution of individuals responsible for holding workers against their will. A toll-free telephone hotline advertised heavily in immigrant communities will help officials track down offenders.

An additional $683 thousand and 11 positions will help implement the president's New Freedom Initiative, which will expand outreach to small business by developing Americans with Disabilities Act business guidance. The Initiative will also increase access to information technology and ensure voting ease for persons with disabilities. An additional $100 thousand will expand efforts to track victimization of Americans with disabilities, as required under the Crime Victims with Disabilities Awareness Act.

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