Rogers Remarks at Oversight Hearing on Department of Justice

I’d like to welcome our witness, the Honorable Todd Blanche, Acting Attorney General of the United States, to testify before our subcommittee today. Last month, the Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Bill cleared the full House Appropriations Committee.

Your leadership of the Department of Justice comes at a crossroads. On the one hand, the subcommittee recognizes the strides taken by the department to make communities safe again across the United States, and to address the misguided priorities of the previous administration. On the other hand, the subcommittee recognizes areas for improvement, such as communicating with the subcommittee and the lack of testimony ahead of our bill moving forward. 

Additional areas of concern deal with getting appropriated dollars out the door and making progress with already approved projects. From the proposed Federal prison in Letcher County, Kentucky in my district that has been stalled to the delay of several grant programs, including the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which I worked to start in response to the opioid crisis and one that is vital for many communities like mine, it is critical for this Department to move with speed and meet Congressional intent. Finally, to date, we are still waiting on responses to questions for the record from two FY26 department hearings.

While I would have preferred to start the Fiscal Year 2027 cycle differently by having this conversation prior to last month’s mark-up, this hearing is hopefully the start of productive dialogue between the subcommittee and the department under your leadership. I look forward to hearing your priorities and vision for the department, and responses to our questions regarding recent announcements. Your testimony will still be valuable to the committee as the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations process continues. 

Over the past year, the Department of Justice has made great strides in combatting drug cartels and curbing the flow of illicit drugs, including fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Justice have taken down some of the most notorious cartel bosses, such as El Mayo, the co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, and Nicolas Maduro, the leader of the Cartel of the Suns and former President of Venezuela. While these are significant wins, the department must continue this fight to eradicate the flow of illicit drugs and bring more cartel leaders to justice. While issues such as illegal immigration have been addressed head-on, other issues have emerged over the past year. I applaud the department’s efforts to tackle emerging issues, such as fraud that pits the underworld against American’s and their hard-earned taxpayer dollars and look forward to hearing more about the department’s plans to continue these efforts. I also look forward to hearing about the department’s efforts in supporting state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. 

Over the past year, from Washington, D.C. to Memphis, Tennessee, the Department of Justice has aided local law enforcement agencies in surge operations to combat violent crime. American streets are safer now because of the actions of this department and the Trump Administration. General Blanche, I stand ready to support you and your efforts to ensure that the American public lives in a society that is free from crime and abuse. I look forward to hearing more from you today regarding areas of progress, areas of need, and plans to continue the department’s momentum. 

While the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations cycle has already commenced, there are critically important funding decisions ahead of us, and I hope we gain a better sense of your priorities today so that we can make the best decision on behalf of the American public. Before I turn to Ms. Meng for opening remarks, on behalf of this subcommittee, I would like to send well-wishes for a quick and healthy recovery to former Attorney General Bondi. I would now like to recognize the Ranking Member of this Subcommittee, Ms. Meng, for any remarks she may wish to make.