FY2017 Appropriations for the Department of Justice

Summary

The Department of Justice (DOJ) provides legal advice and opinions, upon request, to the President and executive branch department heads. DOJ prosecutes individuals accused of violating federal laws and it represents the U.S. government in court. The department enforces federal criminal and civil laws, including antitrust, civil rights, environmental, and tax laws. DOJ, through agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), investigates organized and violent crime, illegal drugs, and gun and explosives violations. The department, through the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), protects the federal judiciary, apprehends fugitives, and detains individuals who are not granted pretrial release. DOJ’s Bureau of Prisons (BOP) incarcerates individuals convicted of violating federal laws. The department also provides grants and training to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.

For FY2016, Congress provided a total of $29.090 billion for DOJ. The Administration proposes a 2.8% increase in DOJ’s funding for FY2017 ($29.910 billion). The Administration’s request includes $2.789 billion for the U.S. Marshals, $9.502 billion for the FBI, $2.103 billion for the DEA, $1.306 billion for the ATF, $7.302 billion for the BOP, and $2.361 billion for grant programs.

The Administration’s FY2017 budget request for DOJ includes proposals to either increase funding for existing programs or fund new programs that seek to address several issues that have risen to national prominence recently, such as concerns about gun violence in cities across the country, the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve, violent extremism and “home-grown” terrorism, preparing inmates to return to society after a period of incarceration, cybersecurity, and an increase in heroin addiction. For example, the Administration’s request includes

$36 million to increase the ATF’s ability to enforce existing federal firearms laws, arrest violent criminals, prevent firearms from being transferred to people who cannot legally own them, and perform its regulatory duties;

$3 million for COPS grants to help law enforcement agencies partner with local residents, business owners, community groups, and other stakeholders to build resilience against violent extremism;

$20 million to expand education programs in BOP facilities;

$30 million for grants to help law enforcement agencies purchase body-worn cameras; and

$12 million to help the DEA create four new heroin enforcement groups.