STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES ON THE RESIGNATION OF ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL DANIEL J. BRYANT

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today issued the following statement on the resignation of Assistant Attorney General Daniel J. Bryant of the Office of Legal Policy:

“Dan Bryant has served with distinction during a vital time in our nation’s history. Throughout his tenure at the Justice Department, whether as Assistant Attorney General for Legal Policy or Legislative Affairs or as Counselor to the Attorney General, Dan has always been a vigorous leader, helping to strengthen counterterrorism tools, working closely with members of Congress, and supporting the dedicated men and women whom the President has nominated to the federal bench. I have admired Dan’s record of accomplishment and his devotion to the pursuit of justice, and I thank him for his great service to the Department, President Bush, and the Nation.”

Daniel J. Bryant was confirmed as the Assistant Attorney General for Legal Policy by the United States Senate on October 3, 2003. During his tenure, Bryant has been responsible for planning, developing and coordinating the implementation of major legal policy initiatives of high priority to the Department and to the Administration, including: the Intellectual Property Task Force, the Prisoner Reentry Initiative, the President’s DNA Initiative, and the Annual Assessments of U.S. Government Activities to Combat Trafficking in Persons. He has also played a significant role in enforcing policies to enhance national security and help America to win the war on terror. Prior to his service as Assistant Attorney General for Legal Policy, Bryant was Counselor and Senior Advisor to the Attorney General, advising Attorney General Ashcroft on legal and policy matters. Bryant also served as Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs, from February 2001 until January 2003, having been confirmed by the Senate in May 2001. He was in this post on September 11, 2001 and led the Department’s effort to work with Congress to ensure passage of the USA PATRIOT Act. Bryant’s resignation will be effective on Friday, March 25, 2005.

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