H. Res. 1422 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

June 16, 2010. 

Whereas the Department of Justice officially came into existence on July 1, 1870, through an Act of Congress establishing it as ‘‘an executive department of the government 

of the United States’’ with the Attorney General as its 

head; 

Whereas pursuant to the Act, the Department was charged 

with providing the means for enforcing Federal laws, furnishing legal counsel in Federal cases, and construing the 

laws under which other Federal executive departments 

act; 

Whereas there are currently 93 United States attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the 

Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, serving as the Nation’s principal litigators and 

chief Federal law enforcement officials for their specific 

region, under the direction of the Attorney General; 

Whereas the Department of Justice comprises 7 specialized 

divisions, including the Antitrust Division, Civil Division, 

Civil Rights Division, Criminal Division, Environment 

and Natural Resources Division, National Security Division and the Tax Division, also including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Prisons, the United 

States Marshals Service, the U.S. Central Bureau-Inter-
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national Criminal Police Organization, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 

Firearms, and Explosives, and the Office of Justice Programs; 

Whereas in 2006, the Department of Justice recognized the 

danger threatening the United States due to technologyassisted exploitation crimes targeting children, and responded by launching Project Safe Childhood, an effort 

which has resulted in record numbers of arrests and 

prosecutions of individuals who seek to commit sexual 

crimes against children; 

Whereas in the past decade the Department of Justice has 

obtained approximately 1,300 convictions for financial 

crimes; 

Whereas the Department of Justice responded to the significant increase in the number of firearms-related violent 

crimes in small geographic areas by creating the Violent 

Crime Impact Team (VCIT) initiative and since 2004 has 

arrested more than 14,100 gang members, drug dealers, 

felons in possession of firearms, and other violent criminals, including more than 2,800 identified as ‘‘worst of 

the worst’’ criminals; 

Whereas the Department of Justice plays a key role in the 

fight against international drug trafficking; 

Whereas in the past 8 years, the Department of Justice has 

disrupted 8, and dismantled 2, Priority Target Organizations (PTOs); 

Whereas Operation FALCON (Federal and Local Cops Organized Nationally) is a series of nationwide fugitive apprehension operations coordinated by the Department of 

Justice, and has resulted in the collective capture of more 
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than 55,896 dangerous fugitive felons since its inception 

in 2005; 

Whereas since 2004, the Department of Justice has led the 

2 largest multinational law enforcement efforts ever directed at online piracy, involving simultaneous efforts in 

12 countries, more than 200 searches and arrests in 

more than 30 States, more than $100,000,000 in seized 

pirated works, and a total of 112 felony convictions to 

date; and 

Whereas the Department of Justice’s accomplishments are 

numerous and have played a significant part in securing 

the safety and security of the families and communities 

of the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) honors the Department of Justice on the occasion of its 140th anniversary; 

(2) commends the men and women of the Department of Justice for their tireless commitment to pursuing justice, combating major domestic and international crimes, ensuring civil liberties, and protecting 

the people of the United States; and 

(3) encourages the Department of Justice to continue its mission of pursuing the administration of justice for all people in the United States. 

Attest: 

Clerk.