The chair is authorized to declare recesses of the committee at any time. To theome everyone hearings and oversight in the department of justice. I begin by recognizing myself. Today we welcome attorney jeff sessions, the annual Department Oversight hearing. General, you have a long and distinguished career in public service. Even when your decisions are not always well received. Leaving theear department of justice has not been without difficulty, which is expected at the outset of a new administration. While much has been done to theect the proper under Obama Administration, more work must be done to ensure the department is operating to impartially administered justice. Our last doj oversight hearing was beyond disappointing. Loretta lynchal gave the least. And at least transparent testimony i can recall in my time in congress. It was lame a disservice to the American People. Ms. Lynch failed to respond substantively to every question posed by this committee. Former miss lynch and former holder was let go for his own stonewalling for fast and furious. I expect, mr. Attorney general, that you will be more willing to candidly answer questions from members on both sides of the i o. You will hear question after question today concerning our knowledge of and involvement with russia. Efforts tolies interfere in the 2016 president ial election. Whether it concerns a work on behalf of now President Trump during the campaign or your service in the senate, i suspect this theme will be a constant refrain from my friends on the other side of the aisle. While i understand your decision to recuse yourself was an effort to do the right thing, i believe you, as a person of integrity, will be impartial and fair and follow the facts wherever they lead. I have chosen as chairman of robertmmittee to elect mueller to do his job, free from undue political influence. At the same time, this committee will do its duty and conduct oversight at the department of justice. To that end, we sent two letters to you calling on you to name a second as special counsel to restore the publics confidence in our Justice System. Numerous matters connected to the 2016 election remained unresolved. Appointedment has not a second counsel. Consequently, this committee had no choice but to open our own joint investigation with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to review doj of the handling investigation into former secretary Hillary Clinton and her mishandling of classified information. As we said earlier this year, it is incumbent on this committee in oversight opacity to ensure the agencies we oversee are above reproach, and that the particularartment in remains immune to accusations of politicizing should. Politicizing. Fromave recused yourself matters stemming from the 2016 election, but there are significant concerns that the partisanship of the fbi and the department has weakened the ability of each to act objectively. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this and what steps you are taken to remove politics from Law Enforcement. However, these investigations are but a few of the many important issues we need to discuss today. For instance, we just overwhelmingly reported the usa at liberty act out of Committee Last week. This Bipartisan Legislation would reauthorize section 702 of the four intelligence act. The administration has chosen to oppose any reform of the law. I understand the desire for a clean reauthorization of this vital program. Believe this stands as a miscalculation and risks further eroding trust in our intelligence apparatus. We hope we can work with you now that the usa at liberty act, which we authorizes a law that is vital to our nations battle against terrorism while protecting Civil Liberties is reported out of committee. This is especially important given the ongoing threat of terrorist attacks in the United States. As we all know, not two weeks ago eight people were killed and almost a dozen injured when a isis inspired jihadist drove a pickup truck into a bicycle path near the World Trade Center in new york. Terrorist threat is real and ongoing hearing we cannot afford to play politics with National Security. I also look forward to continuing to work with you on our criminal Justice System. There is bipartisan support to do this in congress, and with your help, we can make changes that crack down on violent offenders while also doing more to rehabilitate federal prisons and curb abuses in the system as well as punishments. To your credit, since you assumed leadership of the permit of justice, there has been a significant increase in the prosecution of firearms offenses in the United States. Criticized itave lacks enforcement of the gun laws already on the books. Enforcing these laws is the most effective way to combat Violent Crime in our cities and neighborhoods. Under your leadership, the number of defendants charged with Unlawful Possession of a firearm has increased by nearly 25 . The number of defendants charged with armed Drug Trafficking has increased to 10 . I commend you for your focus on these prosecutions because they will help make our streets safer. There are many matters on which we share common ground, especially when it comes to rectifying the failures of the Obama Administration. Passedmple, the house legislation to ban settlement payments to nonvictim third parties following your policy directive to shut down the use of such mandatory donations. These reform initiatives followed a concerted effort by the Obama Administration to use settlements to benefit its political allies. We commend your efforts to combat illegal immigration, protect our citizens from criminal aliens, and to fight back against socalled sanctuary cities. More than two years have passed since a woman was killed by an illegal alien who had then deported five times. We have addressed this issue head on by moving legislation to combat sanctuary cities and to find and remove criminal gang members. Mr. Attorney general, our country is at a crossroads. Our constituents are greatly concerned that our Justice System does not work for them. Ther your leadership am of Justice Department has taken strides to mitigate the harms done in the prior administration. I am for you to work with us to continue that trend, and i thank you sincerely for your appearance here today. I now recognize the Ranking Member of the committee, the general friend from michigan, mr. Conyers, for his Opening Statements. Conyers, for his statement. Mr. Conyers thank you. Top of the morning. In the ordinary course of business, anyone of a dozen topics related to the department of justice would be worthy of its own hearing. And to be clear, i would rather spend our time today discussing the upkeep of the criminal Justice System, the enforcement of civil rights, and the work we must all do to ensure access to the ballot box. We must spend our time debating the troubles of a wayward administration. Mr. Conyers although this is the attorney generals first appearance before the house, he has already made three visits to our colleagues in the senate. At his confirmation hearing, he did not havet he communications with the russians. That anth, he testified continuing exchange of information between trumps surrogates and intermediaries for the russian government did not happen, at least to my knowledge, and not with me. We now know, of course, that neither of these statements is true. Shortly after the attorney general made the first comment, the Washington Post reported that he met with the russian and twicet are at least during the campaign. In the past month, we have learned the attorney general must have been very much aware of a continuing exchange of information between the Trump Campaign and the russian government. In charging documents unsealed last month, George Papadopoulos, a foreignpolicy advisor to the admits Extensive Communications with russian contacts. At a march 31, 2016 meeting of the campaigns National Security attendede committee, Advisory Committee, chaired by senator sessions, mr. Sumdopoulos stated, in and substance, that he had connections that can help arrange a meeting between then candidate trump and president putin. It does not matter, and has been that the attorney general remembers this meeting after the fact. Remembers it so vividly, in fact, that two unarmed sources, the senator shot george down. Under oath, knowing in advance that he could be asked about this subject, the attorney general give answers that are at best incomplete. The attorney general can provide some clarification on this problem in his remarks today. Uslso hope that he can sure assure us that the departments weathering near daily attacks on its independence by President Trump. And that no office of the toartment is being used pressure the president s political enemies. In recent months, President Trump has attacked the beleaguered attorney general and criticized his very weak position on Hillary Clintons crimes. The president has talked openly about firing the leadership of the department, including the attorney general, the Deputy Attorney general, the former acting director of the fbi, and special counsel robert mueller. He did fire former fbi director. Omey in his own words, because of that russia thing with trump and russia. As well as acting attorney and all 46ly yates sitting United States attorneys. Last year, he denigrated a federal judge because of his mexican heritage. Was born inriel indiana, by the way. Month, in a radio interview, President Trump said he was very unhappy with the. Ustice Department Hours later, he proclaimed the military Justice System a complete and total disgrace. The one that six with me is the president s july interview with the New York Times. , begins byerview once again attacking the attorney generals credibility. Never should have recused himself, the president complains. Then, the conversation takes a sinister turn. Along, out ofe courtesy, the fbi started reporting to the department of justice, but the fbi person really reports directly to the president of the United States. He goes on. I could have ended the Flynn Investigation just by saying they say it cannot be obstruction because you can say it has ended, it is over. Case, then the president requires some correction. The fbi reports directly to the attorney general. The founding of the bureau, it can be obstruction of justice if the president orders an investigation closed with a corrupt motive. What strikes me about these comments is the president s view that the criminal Justice System serves him and not the public. Believet trump seems to that on a whim, he can bring pressure to bear on his enemies, dismissed charges against his himself andinsulate his family from any consequence. I cannot overemphasize the poses of this perspective to our republic. I have served on this committee long enough to remember another president who shared this view. Myself up on Richard Nixons enemy list. We worked to hold that administration accountable, our work is not complete. Remember our common responsibility to prevent that kind of abuse from happening again. Look to the attorney generals partnership in this effort, but i have begun to worry about his resolve. Last night, in a letter sent from the department to chairman as aatte, without so much copy to the Ranking Member, by theway, they insisted attorney general seems to hold the door open to appointing a new special counsel to cater to the president s political needs. The fact that this letter was to the majority without the customary and appropriate notice to me indicates that the charge given to the Department Officials to evaluate the issues has political motivation. Now, in his own words, the attorney generals recused from any questions involving investigations that involve secretary clinton. Cannot refer an investigation to a second counsel if we lack the evidence to predicate a criminal investigation in the first place. Virtually, every clinton related that President Trump complains about has been well litigated. Andfully examined completely debunked. Still, to quote former attorney ,eneral Michael Mukasey putting political opponents in jail for offenses committed in a political setting is something that we do not do here. The thread alone resembles a Banana Republic threat alone resembles a banana. Republic in the the now republic. Attorney general is generally come to see us within two or three months of taking office. No attorney general in recent memory has taken more than six months before making an appearance here. Attorney general sessions has broken that norm. He has had more than 10 months to settle in, making our communications with the department between hearings that much more important. I date, my colleagues and sent more than 40 letters to the Trump Administration asking for information necessary to carry out our oversight responsibilities. We have sent more than a dozen of these letters directly to the attorney general. To date, we have not received a single substantive response. We can disagree on matters of ,olicy, mr. Attorney general but you cannot keep us in the dark forever. Reasonablee a request, we expect you to reply in a prompt and responsive manner, and i hope you can explain why your department has chosen to ignore these letters. More importantly, i hope that you will be more forthcoming with your answers, both in your testimony today, and in the weeks to come, and i look forward to your testimony and mr. Chairman, i think you and your back the balance of my time. All other members Opening Statements will be made part of the record. We welcome our distinguished witness. If you will please rise, i will begin by swearing you in. Hand. Raise your right do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god . Thank you. The witness answered in the affirmative. Mr. Jeff sessions was sworn in as the 84th attorney general of the United States on february 9, 2017, from 1996 to his confirmation to lead the department of justice. Mr. Sessions served as the united eight senator for alabama. Served mr. Zens sessions served as the United States attorney for the Southern District of alabama. Alabama attorney general and captain in the United States army reserve. Attorney general sessions is a graduate of Huntington College and the university of alabama law school. Sessions, yourl entire written statements will be entered into the record. We asked you summarize your testimony in five minutes. The Ranking Member took a few more minutes than that. Feel free to do that as well. Veryessions thank you much. Mr. Chairman, it is an honor to be before this thing wished committee, having served 20 years as your counterpart in the Senate Judiciary committee. I must note with regret that your announcement of retirement that our relationship has been good in the past, and i hope it will continue to be good. You have done a fabulous job in leading this committee. On my first day as attorney general, i spoke about the Critical Role we as a department play in maintaining and strengthening the rule of law, which forms the foundation of our liberty, our safety, and our prosperity. In this rule of law, we are blessed beyond all nations. I truly believe that. At this department, we must you always can to ensure that it is. Reserved and advanced such ideals transcend politics. From that day to did a, we at have worked to be faithful to that mission. Let me share things we have done initially. The president set up an order to reduce crime, not to allow crime to continue to increase. Nd we embrace that mission the Violent Crime rate has risen, and the homicide rate has risen by more than 20 in just two years. Years of Violent Crime. After a careful review, we have established a reinvigorated initiative. It has been proven to get results in the first years of implementation and reduce Violent Crime by 4. 1 . Case studies showing reductions in certain areas where it was intensely applied of up to 42 . We are also focusing on criminals with guns. Mr. Chairman, we have seen a 20 increase in gun prosecutions. I