Regina B. Schofield

Regina Brown Scofield was nominated March 29, 2005, by President George W. Bush as Assistant Attorney General (AAG) for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) in the Department of Justice. Her nomination was sent to the Senate April 4, 2005, and she was confirmed June 8, 2005.

Nomination
"The President intends to nominate Regina B. Schofield, of Virginia, to be Assistant Attorney General (Office of Justice Programs) at the Department of Justice. Ms. Schofield currently serves as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and White House Liaison at the Department of Health and Human Services. She previously served as Manager of Government Relations at the United States Postal Service. Ms. Schofield earned her bachelor's degree from Mississippi College and her master's degree from Jackson State University." --Personnel Announcement, White House, March 29, 2005.

Confirmation Concerns
In his May 12, 2005, statement before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Vermont Senator Patrick J. Leahy said "This office plays a vital role in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, largely by administering grant programs in such areas as drug control, juvenile justice, victims’ compensation, and victims’ assistance. I am interested to learn how Ms. Schofield will approach this job. I will be interested in learning her experience with law enforcement. She comes to DOJ from HHS and a brief stint at the United States Postal Service. Her lack of justice experience stands in stark contrast to the relevant prior experience of both Laurie O. Robinson, President’s Clinton’s AAG for OJP, who had been Director of the American Bar Association's (ABA's) Criminal Justice Section for 14 years at the time of her nomination, and Deborah Daniels, President’s Bush’s first AAG for OJP, who was an experienced prosecutor with prior DOJ experience at the time of her nomination.

"I would also like to hear from Ms. Schofield about her plans for OJP in light of the Administration’s FY 2006 DOJ budget proposal, which continues recent trends by significantly cutting funding for OJP," Leahy said. "The President proposed severe cuts for popular and successful programs like Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants and juvenile justice programs. These budget cuts have serious consequences, as the dramatic declines in violent crime that occurred during the Clinton years have leveled off, and the murder rate has begun to rise."

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