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
Yesterday, in an interview with the New York Times, President Donald Trump indicated his contempt for the leadership of the Department of Justice.
Ahead of Trump's voter commission's first meeting, the Congressional Black Caucus and House Judiciary Committee Democrats will host a forum on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at 3p.m. to examine voting rights and privacy concerns related to recent requests made by the commission's co-chair, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.
Earlier today, the Department of Justice released a redacted copy of Attorney General Jeff Sessions's application for a security clearance in response to a lawsuit filed by watchdog group American Oversight. The form asks if Sessions "had any contact with a foreign government, its establishment . . . or its representatives, whether inside or outside the U.S."
Mr. Sessions responded: "No."
Today, House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) reintroduced the bipartisan Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2017 (VRAA), which would fully restore and modernize the original Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 to reflect today's societal needs and challenges.
Today, all seventeen Democratic members of the House Committee on the Judiciary wrote to Attorney General Jeff Sessions to request information about his decision to abruptly settle United States v. Prevezon Holdings Ltd, a money laundering case that the Department of Justice (DOJ) abruptly settled that involved Russia sanctions, New York real estate holdings, and the lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr.
Today, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and Judiciary Committee Democrats sent letters to the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors raising concerns that recent requests of them from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the White House voter fraud commission (Commission) may lead to voter suppression and privacy violations.
Today, all Democrats on the House Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and Judiciary sent a letter to the Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz requesting an investigation into whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions violated his recusal when he participated in President Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey.