Goodlatte Statement at Hearing on Systemic Management and Fiscal Challenges at DOJ

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) today delivered the following remarks during the House Judiciary Committee’s hearing on “Examining Systemic Management and Fiscal Challenges within the Department of Justice.” Chairman Goodlatte: The Department of Justice is comprised of approximately 40 components which together encompass a broad array of national security, law enforcement, and criminal justice responsibilities. It’s mission, “To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans,” confirms the sacred duties entrusted to it by the American people. DOJ’s growing workload presents challenges for a Congress increasingly constrained by the contraction of discretionary budget authority. With each passing year, the rapid growth of mandatory outlays – driven by entitlement programs – squeezes resources available for critical federal operations, many of which are anything but optional. Under the current CR, DOJ’s discretionary budget is approximately $29 billion. It supports more than 117,000 positions. 8% of these are attorneys, 20% are agents, 18% are correctional officers, 4% are intelligence analysts, and the remaining 50% includes other analysts, technology specialists and security professionals. Operationally, law enforcement activities make up nearly half of DOJ’s efforts, with prisons and detention representing 30% of its work, and litigation, 12%. Despite its vital mission and the ever-evolving nature of threats to the United States, the Department of Justice has not undergone a reauthorization since 2005. As a result, nearly all of the agency’s authorizations for appropriations expired in 2009. Today’s hearing is an opportunity for the Committee to conduct an initial review of DOJ to set the stage for more targeted hearings that will be the basis of a DOJ reauthorization project. The Government Accountability Office and DOJ’s Office of Inspector General are two very valuable resources for the Judiciary Committee, which takes its oversight responsibilities very seriously. The audits and evaluations these two organizations undertake can be Congress’ best—and sometimes only—true measure of how well a federal program or agency is operating. In recent years, the OIG has exposed or substantiated incidences of misconduct among federal employees, rooted out and overseen the recovery of millions of dollars in improperly expended grant funding, and identified numerous costly inefficiencies. Meanwhile, GAO investigations have targeted the mismanagement of federal resources, detected agency failures to comply with federal laws, and identified multiple opportunities for reducing duplication and overlap of federal programs. It is for these reasons that I am pleased to welcome our two witnesses to the Judiciary Committee today. The Honorable Michael Horowitz is the Inspector General for the United States Department of Justice. Since 2012, Mr. Horowitz has overseen a nationwide workforce of more than 450 special agents, auditors, inspectors, attorneys, and support staff whose mission is to detect and deter waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct in DOJ programs and personnel, and to promote economy and efficiency in Department operations. Since 2015, he has simultaneously served as the Chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. Diana Maurer has been a Director in the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s Homeland Security and Justice team since 2009, and currently leads GAO’s work reviewing justice and law enforcement issues.  Director Maurer’s recent work includes reports and testimonies on the federal prison system, the Secret Service, DOJ grant programs, the FBI’s use of facial recognition technology, and audio-video policies at the Supreme Court. Director Maurer has testified several times before Congressional committees on national drug control policy, FBI whistleblower protection, DHS management, and nuclear smuggling, among other issues. Director Maurer’s career began with GAO back in 1990 at GAO’s Detroit Regional Field Office. I look forward to hearing from both of you so that the Committee may learn how Congress can best respond to the challenges you spotlight and work to achieve greater efficiency and accountability at the Department of Justice. Your meticulous efforts on behalf of all Americans concerned about how our tax dollars are being spent are greatly appreciated, and I encourage you to keep up the fine work.