FY2018 Appropriations for the Department of Justice

Summary

The Department of Justice (DOJ) was established in 1870 with the Attorney General as its leader. Since its creation, DOJ has added additional agencies, offices, boards, and divisions to its organizational structure. DOJ, along with the judicial branch, operates the federal criminal justice system. The department enforces federal criminal and civil laws, including antitrust, civil rights, environmental, and tax laws. 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), it investigates terrorism, organized and violent crime, illegal drugs, and gun and explosives violations, among others. Through the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), it protects the federal judiciary, apprehends fugitives, and oversees the detention of alleged offenders who are not granted pretrial release. DOJ prosecutes individuals accused of violating federal laws, and it represents the U.S. government in court. DOJ’s Bureau of Prisons (BOP) houses individuals accused or convicted of federal crimes. In addition to its role in administering the federal criminal justice system, the department also provides grants and training to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and judicial and correctional systems.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31) appropriated $28.962 billion for DOJ. The act provided $2.713 billion for the U.S. Marshals, $9.006 billion for the FBI, $2.103 billion for the DEA, $1.259 billion for the ATF, and $7.142 billion for the BOP. The remaining funding (approximately $6.739 billion) was for DOJ’s other offices, such as the U.S. Attorneys offices, the Executive Office for Immigration Review, and the Attorney General’s office.

The Trump Administration requests $28.205 billion for DOJ for FY2018. This amount is 2.6% less than the FY2017-enacted appropriation. The Administration proposes reductions for several DOJ accounts, including a $232 million (-2.6%) reduction for the FBI, a $340 million (-26.6%) reduction for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance, and a $21 million (-8.3%) reduction for Juvenile Justice Programs. While the Administration’s FY2018 budget request includes several reductions for DOJ accounts, it also includes several increases, including an additional $22 million (1.1%) for the Office of the United States Attorneys, an $82 million (5.6%) increase for the USMS’s Federal Prisoner Detention account, a $76 million (1.1%) increase for BOP’s Salaries and Expenses account, and a $61 million (2.9%) increase for the DEA.

The House committee-reported bill (H.R. 3267) includes $29.315 billion for DOJ, which is 1.2% greater than the FY2017-enacted appropriation and 3.5% greater than the Administration’s request. The committee would provide increases for the USMS (+3.2%), DEA (+2.9%), ATF (+2.8%), BOP (+0.4%), and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys (+1.1%). The committee-reported bill would reduce funding for the FBI (-1.6%), but this is due to a proposed cut in funding for the FBI’s Construction account.

The Senate committee-reported bill (S. 1662) includes $29.068 billion for DOJ, which is 0.4% greater than the FY2017-enacted appropriation and 2.6% greater than the Administration’s request. The committee-reported bill includes increases for the USMS (+4.0%), DEA (+0.6%), ATF (+1.2%), and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys (+1.1%). The committee recommends reduced funding for the FBI (-0.2%), but this is due to a proposed reduction in the FBI’s Construction account. The committee would essentially flat-fund BOP (the recommended increase is less than 0.1%).