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Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:

It is both an honor and a privilege to appear before you this morning to present President Bush's first budget request for the Department of Justice. For Fiscal Year 2002, the President's budget seeks $24.6 billion for the Department, including $20.9 billion in discretionary spending authority and $3.7 billion in mandatory resources.

While the 2002 request maintains the same overall amount of spending authority as provided by this Subcommittee in 2001, we have managed to enhance a number of key efforts, including reducing gun crime, stopping violence against women, combating drugs, and guaranteeing civil rights for all Americans. The budget includes a general shift in spending from state and local law enforcement in order to support our core federal law enforcement mission and better target assistance to areas of greatest need, such as crime in our schools, crimes committed with firearms, and violence against women.

The Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS program, is continued at a somewhat reduced level, with resources re-targeted for school safety, law enforcement technology needs, and reducing DNA backlogs.

The budget includes nearly $1.1 billion in program increases to enable the Department to carry out its core mission, particularly in the areas of detention and incarceration, antiterrorism, cybercrime, and counterintelligence. Another $302 million in new funding is requested to address key technology initiatives focusing on systems integration, upgrades, and network reliability. Of this amount, $225.7 million will be used directly to assist state and local law enforcement agencies with technology needs.

The 2002 budget also focuses on several key areas that reflect the priorities of the Bush Administration. Gun violence, violence against women, and drug crime all threaten to deny the most fundamental right of our citizens - the right to personal safety. The 2002 budget provides $650 million in additional funding to help secure this basic right.

There is no question that we need a renewed commitment to the vigorous enforcement of existing laws addressing gun crime. The recent gun violence on school campuses highlights the need for collaboration among federal, state and local law enforcement to combat juvenile gun crime. I intend to intensify enforcement efforts in this area. The first step toward this goal is our request for $153.8 million in increased resources to enforce vigorously gun laws through increased prosecutions, collaborative approaches to crimes committed with firearms, and by ensuring that child safety locks are available for every handgun in America.

To reinvigorate the war on illegal drugs, the 2002 budget includes $77.2 million in additional resources. Specifically, our budget seeks $58.2 million in enhancements for the Drug Enforcement Administration. The request also continues to provide $48 million for the Office of Justice Programs to assist state and local law enforcement agencies with the costs associated with meth cleanup and to aid in meth enforcement.

Through the efforts of the Civil Rights Division, the Community Relations Service, the United States Attorneys, the FBI, and the Office of Justice Programs, the Department seeks to protect the civil rights and liberties of all Americans. The 2002 budget includes an increase of $105.7 million to further these efforts.

For immigration-related activities, the 2002 budget includes an additional $240 million. Included within this amount is $75 million for the INS to add 570 new Border Patrol agents in 2002. To address chronic space shortages and facility deficiencies, the budget also includes $42.7 million for INS Border Patrol facility construction. And, to enhance the resources of county prosecutors located near the Southwest border, our 2002 request includes $50 million. The Administration will propose splitting the mission of INS in two, with separate chains of command, reporting to a single policy official. I support this restructuring. I believe its time has come, and look forward to working with this Subcommittee as the proposal moves through the Congress.

The 2002 budget provides over $4.2 billion for state and local law enforcement grant programs. Included within the request are newly created initiatives or enhancements to existing programs to address specific crime problems. These proposals include: an increase in Violence Against Women Act funding of more than 35 percent; expansion of the Weed and Seed program; more drug treatment in state prisons; increased assistance for state prosecutors; and new gun violence programs.

Reductions are made primarily in four areas: 1) Byrne discretionary grants; 2) the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program; 3) the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program; and 4) State Prison grants. This redirection in funding will allow the Department to fulfill its core law enforcement responsibilities and enhance efforts in key areas, including reducing gun crime, stopping violence against women, combating drugs, and guaranteeing civil rights for all Americans.

Chairman Gregg, Senator Hollings, Members of the Subcommittee, I have outlined the principal focus of President Bush's 2002 budget request for the Department of Justice. I am still learning about many of the programs we have under our jurisdiction at the Department of Justice. You both have monitored spending by the Department for some time. I have much to learn, and I look forward to your advice and counsel.

Thank you. I would be pleased to answer any questions you might have.

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