Attorney General Pam Bondi Takes Aim At Biden Border Policies In Address To House Committee

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7 months ago

Attorney General Pam Bondi delivers her opening statement before the House Appropriations Committee.

Transcript

00:00committee, and you're now recognized for an opening statement, which will be entered into the record.

00:07Thank you, Chairman. Good afternoon, Chairman Rogers, Member DeLauro, and Ranking Member Meng,

00:16and distinguished members of the subcommittee. I'm honored to appear before you today to present

00:21the President's fiscal year 2026 budget for the Department of Justice. I look forward to working

00:28with all of you to ensure continued support for the Department and our many critical missions.

00:34President Trump's fiscal year 2026 budget proposal totals $34 billion for the Department of Justice.

00:41That money will support federal law enforcement as well as our state, local, and tribal law enforcement

00:47partners. My primary objective as Attorney General is to return the Department to its core mission

00:53of keeping Americans safe and vigorously enforcing the law. This budget will allow us to continue

01:01doing just that. Since January 20th, we have dismantled deadly fentanyl networks across our

01:07country. We've prosecuted MS-13 and TDA members using terrorism and RICO charges. We've seized

01:13thousands of illegal guns from cartels and extradited key cartel leaders into U.S. prisons.

01:20Last month, the FBI arrested 205 child predators in a single operation, and the DEA executed the

01:28largest fentanyl bust in the history across four states. We have also surged FBI resources to

01:36investigate thousands of violent crimes committed against American Indian and Alaskan Native people.

01:44These are just a few examples of what we've achieved thus far. The budget will allow us to

01:49continue doing our crucial work. We've also led the charge to enforce our immigration laws,

01:55rebuild our immigration system after four years of chaos, help secure our nation's borders. Moreover,

02:03we must guarantee that our laws allow us to process, hold, and remove those who enter our country illegally.

02:12Our U.S. attorneys continue to effectively work with law enforcement at all levels to investigate

02:17and prosecute the increasing volume of immigrated related criminal offenses. Additionally, the

02:25president and I have established and reinvigorated three task forces to enforce the administration's

02:31priorities. The Homeland Security Task Force is enhancing federal and state law enforcement

02:37cooperation to destroy criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations

02:43throughout our country. Joint Task Force Alpha will continue to specifically target the human trafficking

02:51and human smuggling networks that took root while our border was wide open. And Joint Task Force Vulcan

02:58will continue successful efforts to arrest and prosecute members of TDA and MS-13. We are also committed to

03:07making America safe again by reducing recidivism. The Bureau of Prisons has suffered mismanagement,

03:12lack of funding, lack of funding, and low morale. Throughout my confirmation process,

03:18BOP came up in every single meeting, regardless of the senator's party. The president's budget proposal

03:27will address critical staffing shortages, enhance staff retention, and deliver positive changes to a system

03:37that has long needed improvement. The resources made available through President Trump's proposal will also

03:44empower the department to continue fighting our war on fentanyl. Since January 2025, the DEA has already seized 41.5

03:55million fentanyl pills and 4,470 kilos of fentanyl powder. It's a historic rate, but it's not enough. We want to be a

04:06enough. We won't rest until this poison is off our streets. And finally, the 2026 budget continues my

04:16commitment to find savings in the department, reduce inefficiencies, and deliver value to the American

04:21taxpayer. In fiscal year 2026, the department will merge components that will work in overlapping areas

04:32and make our law enforcement and grant-making efforts more effective. We will emerge from this work as a leaner

04:39organization, better equipped to keep the American people safe. Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Delora,

04:48Ranking Member Meng, it is my pleasure to highlight our efforts to be good stewards of these resources. I am working

04:55diligently to restore confidence and integrity to the department and each of these components. Thank

05:02you for your continued support of the department's financial needs and for the opportunity to present

05:08our budget request. I also would ask all of us now to pray for our troops in Qatar. Amen. I look forward to

05:17working with you and I am now happy to take any questions you might have. We will

Attorney General Pam Bondi Takes Aim At Biden Border Policies In Address To House Committee

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