FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Mr. Chairman, Senator Moynihan, and members of the Committee: I am honored to appear before you as you consider my nomination to be the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Enforcement.

I want to thank Secretary Rubin for recommending me to the President, and I thank President Clinton for his nomination.

On a personal note, I would like to recognize my mother, Georgia Couden of Oneonta, New York, who is here with me today. My mother earned her Masters Degree in social work when I was in grade school and by her example I have learned the value of serving others. She has also given me her unwavering support and has always believed in my abilities and potential.

From my family and my work as a federal prosecutor I have learned that public service is not only a privilege but a responsibility, and one of the highest callings to which a citizen can aspire. Because of this, I look forward to the challenges of serving as Assistant Secretary if confirmed.

I would like to provide the Committee with a sense of my professional background. I have worked directly on law enforcement matters since 1989, when I was appointed as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. While serving in that office, I prosecuted a wide variety of cases including Public Corruption and Violent Crime cases. The District of Columbia office is an extremely challenging place to work, given the multitude of crime problems that face our nation's capital. While serving as a prosecutor, I gained valuable experience and learned firsthand about many of Treasury's enforcement responsibilities from my work with agents and officers from the Secret Service and ATF.

In 1994, I joined the Department of the Treasury first as Assistant Director of the White House Security Review, and then as the Director. The Security Review represented the most comprehensive assessment of air and ground security ever conducted at the White House Complex. Following the review, I was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Law Enforcement, with responsibility for assisting in oversight of the Department's law enforcement bureaus and offices. Shortly after my appointment as Deputy Assistant Secretary, I carried out the duties of the Under Secretary and Assistant Secretary for Enforcement while Assistant Secretary Johnson and Under Secretary Kelly were awaiting confirmation.

In my position, I have been involved in the Department's continuing effort to provide greater oversight to its law enforcement bureaus, and its effort to ensure that our bureaus maintain the highest standards of professionalism. Because of the sensitive nature of our law enforcement missions, I worked with the Under Secretary and Assistant Secretary to enhance our oversight of Treasury's law enforcement bureaus in numerous areas, including integrity and internal affairs matters, training, and equal employment opportunity issues. I have also assisted in guiding a comprehensive review of Treasury's Federal Law Enforcement Training Center -- an entity that trains nearly 80% of new federal law enforcement officers -- and in improving our continuing efforts to safeguard our Southwest Border against the influx of drugs and contraband. Indeed, just this week I was in Laredo, Texas where I had an opportunity to view the innovative efforts that Customs is employing at that very challenging port of entry.

My work at Treasury over the past four years has allowed me to understand the important missions of our enforcement bureaus and how these missions complement each other. Together, Customs and ATF collect nearly $37 billion in revenue. Customs also protects our nation from narcotics smuggling, maintains the integrity of the border, and enforces international trade laws. ATF targets violent criminals, firearms traffickers and arsonists. The Secret Service protects our nation's leaders and combats fraud. And OFAC and FinCEN enforce trade sanctions and help fight money laundering, respectively. These responsibilities help finance the government; protect our financial system from fraud, abuse, and instability; and ensure the safety of our nation and its people.

The Treasury agents, inspectors, and officers who carry out these missions embody the highest ideals of commitment, professionalism, and genuine public service. It will be a privilege to continue to serve Treasury and assist with the leadership of these women and men.

I am acutely aware of the broad and important responsibilities of the Office of Enforcement. I also believe my experience at Treasury, at the U.S. Attorney's Office, and as a lawyer in private practice will serve me well as Assistant Secretary, if confirmed. With the guidance of this Committee and the support of Secretary Rubin, I believe I am ready to meet the challenge. Thank you very much.