The Emergency Witness Assistance Program
Report Number I-2001-002

EOUSA RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE EWAP

The EOUSA's Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee and Victim-Witness (LECC/VW) Staff, primarily the EWAP Program Manager, provides advice and assistance to USAOs on the appropriate use of the EWAP. The USAOs often discuss witness needs with the Program Manager to verify that they meet program guidelines. For witness assistance approved by the USAOs, the Program Manager reviews copies of the EWAP forms to verify compliance with EWAP guidelines, such as time and dollar limits, allowable services, and appropriate authorizing signatures. The Program Manager also reviews the USAOs' requests for witness assistance that will exceed the time and funding limits (30 days/$4,000) or that are for unusual services and recommends approval or disapproval of these requests to the Assistant Director, LECC/VW Staff. The LECC/VW Staff may seek advice from the EOUSA's Office of the Legal Counsel when deciding the appropriate use of EWAP funds. The EWAP Program Manager maintains copies of the EWAP forms submitted by the USAOs and copies of the USAOs' quarterly reports provided by the EOUSA's Resource Management and Planning Staff (RMPS). The Program Manager has also developed an automated database as a ready reference of the USAOs' use of the EWAP. The database contains the names of assisted witnesses, expenditures, dates of assistance, and case names.

The RMPS assists the Attorney General's Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys (AGAC) in formulating a budget submission for the entire United States Attorney organization. After an appropriation has been enacted, RMPS issues each USAO a budget consistent with the level of funding provided by Congress, AGAC priorities, and the USAO's request. Specifically for the EWAP, the RMPS is responsible for monitoring EWAP obligations and expenditures entered in the Financial Management Information System by the USAOs.

The EOUSA's Evaluation and Review Staff (EARS) coordinates one-week evaluations of the performance of the USAOs, which includes compliance with EWAP guidelines. The EARS also coordinates the provision of administrative assistance to USAOs and serves as the USAOs' point of contact for matters relating to management controls.