Constitution

Today, the U.S. House Rules Committee held a hearing on Speaker John Boehner's resolution, "providing for authority to initiate litigation for actions by the president inconsistent with his duties under the Constitution of the United States." Specifically, House Republicans contend that President Obama overstepped his constitutional authority in delaying the employer mandate of the Affordable Care Act through executive action. After the hearing concluded, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Members John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) delivered the following statement:

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, ruling that closely-held for-profit companies with religious objections can opt out of providing contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act. After the ruling, Ranking Members John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice Ranking Member Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) delivered the following statement:

Today, the House of Representatives debated H.R. 4138 the, "Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enforcements of the Law (ENFORCE) Act." This floor debate comes on the heels of the House Judiciary Committee having held a full committee markup on the legislation and a hearing a week prior entitled, "Enforcing the president's Constitutional Duty to Faithfully Execute the Laws." This legislation is a faulty solution in search of imaginary problems, and has no hope of being considered in the Senate, let alone becoming law. As the Floor debate commenced, Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement:

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives debated H.R. 7, the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act" on the House Floor. Consideration of this bill by the full House of Representatives comes just weeks following a U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on the legislation, and an expedited Full Committee Markup. As debate was underway on the legislation, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) delivered the following statement:

(DETROIT) – Today, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), along with Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Congressman Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), and Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), sent a letter to U.S.

Today, all of the Democratic members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) calling for hearings on gun violence. A copy of this letter is attached and the body of the message can be found below: ---

September 20, 2013

Chairman Bob Goodlatte
House Judiciary Committee
2138 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Goodlatte:

Hearing Documentation

• 2/21/2012 - Democratic Judiciary Committee /sites/evo-subsites/democrats-judiciary.house.gov/files/documents/EM_Report120221F.pdf">Interim Report on Michigan's Public Act 4
• 2/21/2012 - Democratic Staff /sites/evo-subsites/democrats-judiciary.house.gov/files/documents/EM_ExecSum.pdf">Executive Summary of Public Act 4
• 2/24/2012 - /sites/evo-subsites/democrats-judiciary.house.gov/files/documents/2011-PA-0004.pdf">Act No.

Today, Ranking Member John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) of the House Judiciary Committee, joined Congressman John B. Larson (D-Conn.), chairman of the Task Force on Election Reform, and Ranking Member Robert A. Brady (D-Penn.) of the Committee on House Administration, in submitting an Amicus brief to the Supreme Court regarding the upcoming McCutcheon v. FEC case.

Opening Statements

Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr. for the Hearing on
the Voting Rights Act After the Supreme Court's Decision in Shelby County
Before the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice
Thursday, July 18, 2013, at 11:00 a.m.

The Voting Rights Act is the crown jewel of our nation's civil rights laws.

Many members past and present hold the act in an almost sacred place. Some, like our colleague John Lewis, shed his blood in support of its passage. Others owe their careers as legislators to its vigorous enforcement.

Opening Statements

Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr. for the
Hearing on the Administration's Use of FISA Authority
Before the Committee on the Judiciary
Wednesday, July 17, 2013, at 10:00 a.m.
2141 Rayburn House Office Building

The House Judiciary is the committee of primary jurisdiction for both of the authorities we are here to discuss today-Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act, and Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act.

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in a 5-4 decision, that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. Section 3 defined marriage for purposes of federal law as the legal union of a man and woman, thus denying thousands of married gay and lesbian couples federal responsibilities and rights provided all other married couples. Following the decision by the Supreme Court, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement:

"The ruling by the Supreme Court today, striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, is a monumental step forward in our nation's path towards true equality.

Today, senior members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee including John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr, (R-Wis.), Melvin L. Watt (D-N.C.), and Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) released this statement addressing the Supreme Court ruling in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder that overturned the coverage formula for Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. In a 5-4 decision, the Court voted "Our decision in no way affects the permanent, nationwide ban on racial discrimination in voting found in [Section] 2. We issue no holding on [Section] 5 itself, only on the coverage formula. Congress may draft another formula based on current conditions."

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder. In a 5-4 decision, the Court overturned the coverage formula for Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, stating that, "Our decision in no way affects the permanent, nationwide ban on racial discrimination in voting found in [Section] 2. We issue no holding on [Section] 5 itself, only on the coverage formula. Congress may draft another formula based on current conditions." ranking member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released this statement following the decision:

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives considered H.R. 1797 the, "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act," on the House floor. The legislation, which imposes a nationwide ban on abortions performed after 20 weeks, passed the House by a vote of 228 to 196. Following the passage of this legislation, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement:

"Following multiple weeks of consideration, I am deeply disappointed that my Republican colleagues have pushed through an ideologically extreme bill that limits a woman's constitutional right to make decisions about her health."

Opening Statements

Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
for the Markup of H.R. 2278, the "Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement Act" (the SAFE Act)
by the Committee on the Judiciary

I am greatly disappointed that we are here today to consider H.R. 2278, the SAFE Act, just days after it was the subject of a contentious legislative hearing.

This bill moves our conversation in the wrong direction and returns the immigration debate to partisan solutions that have failed in the past.

Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released this statement applauding the Supreme Court ruling in Arizona et al. v. Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona that invalidated Arizona's law requiring applicants to submit documentary proof of citizenship beyond what is required by the common registration "Federal Form" established by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. Writing for the 7-2 majority, Justice Scalia reiterated that the Elections Clause of the U.S.

This morning, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee held a full committee markup of H.R. 1797, the "Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act." The legislation was passed out of the Judiciary Committee by a vote of 20 to 12. Following the markup, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement:

"The legislation considered today by the Judiciary Committee represents one of the most far reaching bans on abortion that we have ever considered, and is a direct attack on women's constitutional right to choose."

Rep. John Conyers issued the following statement:

"Yesterday's revelations concerning widespread surveillance of Internet communications, combined with the disclosures concerning surveillance of Americans' phone records raise serious alarm bells.

"I agree with the president's sentiment expressed last month that we are at a crossroads in the so-called war against terror. It is vital that we understand the legal underpinnings as well as the utility and impact of on privacy concerning the full panoply of legal tools being used by our government – from surveillance to leak investigations to drone policy.

Today, the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice held a Markup of H.R. 1797, the "District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act." Following consideration of the bill, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement:

"I am deeply disappointed that today my colleagues in the majority opted to use our limited working time to consider legislation that is a blatant attack on women's most fundamental constitutional rights.

Today marks the 59^th anniversary of the seminal civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). In this case, the Supreme Court overturned Plessy v. Ferguson,163 U.S. 537 (1896) which held that separate but equal treatment of blacks and whites was constitutional. Oliver Brown, along with a collection with thirteen African American parents filed suit against the Board of Education of the City of Topeka, Kansas after their children were denied admittance to the closest all White elementary school in their district. Mr.