WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVDN) – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, participated in a Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to consider President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request, as well as the many priorities of the agency.
HIGHLIGHTS:
ON THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES NATIONAL TRACING CENTER:
Senator Capito:
“I want to talk about the ATF National Tracing Center, which you know is located in Martinsburg, West Virginia. I think this is a stunning statistic for people to realize that in fiscal year 2024 alone, the National Tracing Center processed more than 600,000 requests. I mean, that is an immense amount of work. It also helped to identify the deranged individual who attempted to assassinate President Trump in Pennsylvania. So, obviously, it’s great work out there, but I am concerned that we have to prevent the release of firearm trace data to anyone other than law enforcement for investigative purposes. Can you elaborate on the importance of the NTC, but also how it functions within the ATF. Can you describe how your budget request will sustain these critical services?”
Acting Attorney General Blanche:
“Yes, and I agree with you. It is an extraordinarily valuable law enforcement tool, but it can be abused. So, what the ATF has to make sure we’re using the tracing data. By the way, it’s not just for federal cases, it’s for state and local cases, it’s for local crimes. So, it’s a true testament of the power of the federal government to help the states. We have to make sure that that data is shared only where it needs to be shared, and only to further law enforcement investigations. Our director Cekada is laser focused on that. We have the benefit of having somebody who’s been an ATF agent for two decades. So, we’ll continue to make sure that we’re not only spending the money to make sure that we’re successful, but also making sure that we have guardrails around it, so that it doesn’t get abused either by ATF or by anybody state and local wise.”
ON DOJ’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HIGH INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICING TASK FORCE:
Senator Capito:
“I want to talk about the HIDTA Task Force collaboration. I know DOJ is a valuable member of the HIDTA Task Force, and we had the ONDCP director, Sara Carter, come to West Virginia a few weeks ago. We had a round table. U.S. attorneys were there, local partners, local law enforcement. Very interesting conversation. I personally want to see the high intensity drug trafficking, the HIDTA program, stay within the White House. I know this may not be a decision that you’re actively involved in or because there’s always, through several administrations, a desire to move it over to DOJ. Do you have any perspectives on that, and what does this budget have to say about it?”
Acting Attorney General Blanche:
“I know that President Trump is going to give a ton of money, I think over $11.4 billion to combat the drug crisis, and that includes a lot of money to HIDTA. The way that it’s running through the ONDCP now, as opposed to directly DOJ, doesn’t make a difference to the effectiveness that we can have to run in these programs. It hasn’t made a difference over the past year. It will not make a difference in the coming years. To the contrary. Remember, another big part of the drug fight is DHS, and HSI. So, one benefit of having it go through kind of one higher place is that we make sure we’re spending the money across the federal government in the ways that it’s smart. So, I have had zero issues with that set up, and I don’t think Administrator Cole has had any issues with it, or any other law enforcement problem.”
Senator Capito:
“Personally, I think the issue is so large, and you heard Senator Gillibrand talking about it in New York, our state has a particular issue, and I am so pleased with the president’s, Southern border initiatives, fentanyl seizures are down, meaning less fentanyl into the country, but it’s just such a devastating and terrifying drug that’s killing too many people. I did want to make a […], I noticed in your opening statement, you made a comment about the Bureau of Prisons. I just had a conversation with my fellow West Virginian Billy Marshall, who’s head of the BOP. I am in full support of the $10 billion request that you’ve made, and he’s made great strides there and getting good leadership, and they’re safer. We have several federal prisons in and around West Virginia, and not only are the staff safer, but the inmates are safer as well. I would encourage you to keep pounding that drum.”
