Testimony of Jeffrey A. Rosen
United States Senate
Committee on the Judiciary
Hearing on the Nomination of the Honorable Jeffrey Adam Rosen to be
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
10:00 A.M.

Good morning, Chairman Graham, Ranking Member Feinstein, and members of the Committee:
It is a privilege to have the opportunity to come before you today. If I am confirmed, I will look forward
to working with all of you to advance the important work of the Department of Justice.
I also want to thank Senator Portman for his kind introduction. I was honored to serve with him at OMB
when he was the Director there. I sincerely appreciate his taking the time to be here today.
With me today is my wife of nearly 37 years, Dr. Kathleen Rosen. She has always supported my public
service, and I am grateful that she continues to do so. Unfortunately, our three adult children, who live
in Colorado and New York, are not able to be here today.
I am honored that Attorney General Barr recommended me to become the Deputy Attorney General,
and that President Trump has nominated me for this position. I must add my thanks as well to
Transportation Secretary Chao--with whom I have been so fortunate to work during the last two years-for her support.
I have been blessed to this point to have had a long and varied legal career, both as a litigator and as a
leader and manager of a large number of professionals. During my nearly thirty years at my former law
firm I had the opportunity to appear in federal and state courts all across the country, and to work with
outstanding lawyers all along the way. At the law firm, and during nearly six years as general counsel of
two federal agencies, I had the opportunity to lead, supervise, and manage large organizations of
lawyers, handling the widest possible range of legal matters. And in my current position as the Deputy
Secretary of Transportation, I serve as the chief operating officer of a federal cabinet department with a
budget in excess of $80 billion and more than 55,000 employees. I believe these experiences should
serve me well if I am confirmed to become Deputy Attorney General.
With regard to the Department of Justice, if I am confirmed as the Deputy Attorney General, I would
arrive from the outside, but not as a stranger. I have had many, many dealings with a wide variety of
DOJ components over the years, both during my public service and while representing parties in private
practice. I have admired the Department’s proud traditions of excellence, independence, and
professionalism, and revered its historic role as the advocate and guarantor of the rights of all
Americans.

 I consider service at the Department of Justice one of the highest callings that a lawyer can undertake.
There have been 37 Deputy Attorneys General thus far, some who had served as federal prosecutors at
the Department, some who had served in legal roles at other departments, and some who had worked
primarily in private law firms. I fall in the latter two categories, so if confirmed would expect to draw
fully on the extraordinary lawyers with prosecutorial experience at the Department, including some in
what would be my immediate office, as well as throughout the Department of Justice.
These experienced and committed career public servants are the lifeblood of the Department. If
confirmed, I plan to work hand-in-hand with them each day. For example, we will work together to
combat violent crime and the opioid epidemic ravaging our communities. We will work together to
implement the President’s and Congress’ bipartisan goal, enshrined in the First Step Act, of giving
Americans convicted of certain offenses another chance at a productive life. We will, each day, work
together to ensure the rights, the safety and the security of all Americans. As the Attorney General has
said, over the long run, the course of justice in our country has more to do with the character of the
Department of Justice as an enduring institution than with the tenure of any particular Attorney General
or Deputy Attorney General.
I have occasionally been asked why I would be interested in serving at the Department of Justice. The
short answer is that I believe I can make a meaningful contribution to an institution that I regard as a
cornerstone of our American system of government, and consider it both a duty and an honor to serve
our country. My parents were not college graduates, but they were smart and caring people who made
sure I had the education and opportunity to become a lawyer. I wish they were still with us to see this
day. My father used to remind me that “to whom much has been given, much is expected.” Like the
President, the Attorney General, and all of you, I love our country, and stand ready to serve again in a
new role if I am confirmed.
Finally, let me say that I am keenly aware that Congress makes our laws, and it is the duty of the
Department of Justice to enforce them. The year in which I was born, President Eisenhower said that “if
civilization is to survive, it must choose the rule of law.” If I am confirmed as the 38th Deputy Attorney
General, I will work tirelessly to help the Attorney General lead and manage the Department of Justice
as a guiding light for the rule of law, which is what the Department should always be.
Thank you again for the opportunity to be here today, and I will look forward to answering your
questions.