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Nominee tells Senate Judiciary Committee she would prioritize gangs, drugs, border and prison reforms
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Summary
The nominee for U.S. attorney general told the Senate Judiciary Committee in opening remarks that, if confirmed, she would focus the Department of Justice on gangs, drugs, terrorism, cartels, the southern border and reforms to the Bureau of Prisons, and said she supported the First Step Act.
The nominee for U.S. attorney general, during opening remarks at a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, said that if confirmed she would return the Department of Justice to what she described as its core mission of keeping Americans safe by focusing on gangs, drugs, terrorists, cartels, the border and related national-security threats.
She told the committee, "If confirmed, I will do everything in my power, and it will be my great responsibility to make America safe again," and said reducing recidivism and fixing the Bureau of Prisons would be priorities. The nominee added, "I was proud to support president Trump's First Step Act. I think more can be implemented and more can be done on that front."
Why it matters: the attorney general directs federal law-enforcement priorities and policy. The nominee framed her agenda around criminal enforcement and corrections, signaling how the Justice Department might approach prosecutions, prison management and cross-jurisdictional work with state and local officials if confirmed.
The nominee described her background as a career prosecutor and as Florida's 37th attorney general, saying she had tried jury cases while in law school and later led a felony bureau and served two terms as state attorney general. She cited work on opioid and human-trafficking initiatives in Florida and said her civil enforcement included consumer-protection work and actions during hurricanes to prevent price gouging. "We fought for tough legislation," she said of steps taken in Florida on the opioid crisis and human trafficking.
On corrections, she said the Bureau of Prisons has "suffered from years of mismanagement, lack of funding, and low morale," and urged bipartisan implementation of criminal-justice reforms. She said she would collaborate with federal, state and local officials and with this committee if confirmed.
The nominee opened by thanking Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Durbin and said she looked forward to answering questions. "I will work with all of you, as I've committed to do when I met with almost all of you," she said, and concluded by thanking senators and family members in attendance.
