In 2015, DOJ had 112,100 full-time equivalents and an annual budget of $33.136 billion. The assistant attorney general oversees nearly 400 employees responsible for protecting the country against international and domestic terrorism, espionage, cyber and other national security threats.
• Responsible for one of the department’s highest priorities: to combat terrorism and other threats to national security.
• Manages the department’s primary national security elements within a single organizational entity which currently consists of the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review; the counterterrorism and counterespionage sections and a law and policy office.
• Ensures greater coordination and unity of purpose between prosecutors and law enforcement agencies on the one hand and Intelligence attorneys and the intelligence community on the other, thus strengthening the effectiveness of the department’s national security efforts.
• Represents the United States before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to obtain authorization under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) for the United States government to conduct intelligence surveillance activities, such as electronic surveillance, physical searches and pen registers and trap and trace devices.
• Promotes and overseeing a coordinated national counterterrorism and enforcement program, including the investigation and prosecution of international and domestic terrorism cases.
• Leads and providing guidance on the investigation and prosecution of cases involving national security, foreign relations and the export of military and strategic commodities and technology.
• Oversees foreign intelligence, counterintelligence and national security activities to ensure rigorous obedience to the Constitution of the United States and the vigorous protection of individual privacy and civil liberties.
• Oversees the development, coordination and implementation, in conjunction with other components of the Department, as appropriate, of policies with regard to intelligence, counterintelligence, counterterrorism and national security matters.
• Advises the Attorney General, Congress, the Office of Management and Budget and the White House on all areas of national security law.
• Serves as the Department of Justice’s top national security attorney.