Constitution
The Committee on the Judiciary plays an important role in protecting people's constitutional rights and-when the Constitution falls short of its promise "to form a more perfect Union"-in amending the Constitution. In the 116th Congress, the Committee passed a resolution to revoke the deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and held hearings on state efforts to curb people's constitutional right to an abortion, the lasting negative impact of Citizens United on our campaign finance system, the constitutional role of the pardon power, and opportunities to reform presidential clemency. The Committee also filed several lawsuits to uphold its constitutional authority to conduct oversight of the executive branch. In the 117th Congress, the Committee will continue to build on these accomplishments and further the Constitution's promise of a more perfect Union.
More on Constitution
Today, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-LA) and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) announced that they plan to introduce a censure resolution following the MLK holiday next week, in response to President Donald Trump's comments on American immigration policy regarding Haiti and African countries during a January 11, 2018 meeting with Members of Congress.
Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Richmond and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Nadler released the following joint statement:
Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY.) delivered the following remarks on the House Floor during the debate of "S.139, the "FISA Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 2017."
I rise in strong opposition to S. 139, the "FISA Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 2017," which reauthorizes Section 702 of FISA for six years without enacting adequate protections for our privacy.
Supporters of this measure want to convince us a new, incredibly narrow warrant provision actually constitutes reform. It does not.
House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (NY-10) welcomed Congresswoman Val Demings (FL-10) to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and announced the new subcommittee structure for the second session of the 115th Congress.
This Bill Continues Warrantless Access to Email and Phone Calls
House Democratic Ranking Members Eliot Engel, Maxine Waters, Jerrold Nadler, Bennie Thompson, Elijah Cummings and Robert Brady sent a letter to Speaker Ryan today urging House Republicans to join Democrats to fully investigate and address Russia's threat to our democracy and national security. This letter comes as we mark one year since the Office of the Director of National Intelligence's report confirming Russia's meddling into the 2016 election and America's continued vulnerability to foreign interference.
On Thursday, the House of Representatives will consider S. 139, a bill to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. This bill fails to accomplish any meaningful reform or provide any significant measure of privacy protections. S. 139 is a deeply flawed bill that ultimately jeopardizes the reauthorization of Section 702 altogether.
Twelve members of the United States Senate and 33 members of the United States House filed a Congressional amicus brief in the appeal of the case City of Chicago v. Sessions, which is the lawsuit that the City of Chicago brought in August seeking a preliminary injunction to stop Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) from blocking critical violence prevention funds from American cities in order to boost the Trump Administration's extreme immigration agenda.
Earlier today, the Rules Committee posted notice of a meeting on S. 139, a bill to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The proposal is scheduled for consideration by the House next week. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, issued the following statement in reaction to the bill:
House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) today released the following statement on the Trump Administration's decision to dissolve the Presidential Commission on Election Integrity:
This evening, the New York Times reports that President Donald Trump ordered White House Counsel Don McGahn to stop Attorney General Jeff Sessions from recusing himself from the Russia investigation, that Mr. McGahn carried out those orders, and that an aide to Attorney General Sessions approached congressional staff to ask for information that might damage the reputation of former FBI Director James Comey.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, issued the following statement in response: