Notable Speech

A Call to Duty in the New American Century
By U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft

The 20th century was called the American Century. It was a time in which the United States emerged as the leading force for our ideals in the world—the ideals of freedom, of equality before the law, of family, community, and faith. The American
Century also was a time in which our nation changed in ways we take for granted today. The automobile made us a more mobile nation. Conflict overseas and our growing strength and prosperity made us an international nation. Computers, the
Internet, and the information-technology revolution made us a more interconnected nation.

As our country changed, the challenges we confronted changed as well. Echoing across the American Century were a series of calls to meet these challenges—calls to duty, to service, and to sacrifice. And, each time a new challenge presented itself—
each time a call to duty sounded—the men and women of the Federal Bureau of Investigation answered the call.

• When Prohibition ushered in a crime wave of gangsterism, kidnappings, and bank robberies, the people called out for peace, and the Bureau responded

• When totalitarianism abroad threatened the institutions of democracy at home, the republic called out for security, and the Bureau answered the call.

• When discrimination threatened to turn citizen against citizen and neighbor against neighbor, the country called out for justice, and the Bureau helped open the door of opportunity to all Americans equally.

• And, when terrorism threatened American citizens living and traveling abroad—and then reached within our borders—the nation called out for safety, and the Bureau was there.

In a republic whose law enforcement traditions are rooted in the states, the cities, and the towns, a national crime-fighting organization arose. When it was created in 1908, the FBI counted 34 agents among its ranks. Today, by answering the call to duty, the Bureau has grown to a total working team of over 28,000 special agents, crime lab technicians, and support personnel.

Last year, the dedicated men and women of the FBI were responsible for investigating more than 200 categories of federal crimes and well over 500 specific violations of federal law. You lead the federal government’s fight against terrorism. You lead our counterintelligence efforts. You work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to enforce federal drug laws. You are the sole investigative force for criminal violations of federal civil rights laws. Working with the states and localities, you carry the burden of investigating sophisticated organized crime, whitecollar crime, cybercrime, violent crime, and crimes against children.

At any given time, the FBI is working on approximately 100,000 cases. Last year, the Bureau issued over 19,000 indictments and secured over 21,000 convictions.