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
The following is the House Judiciary Committee's schedule for the week May 11th - May 15th.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13
10:00 a.m. Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet
Witnesses:
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.), Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), and Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet Subcommittee Ranking Member Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) issued the statement below after the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the National Security Agency's bulk collection program is not authorized under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. They are the authors of the USA Freedom Act (H.R.
The House Judiciary Committee today approved by a vote of 25-2 the USA Freedom Act (H.R. 2048). This bipartisan bill – introduced by Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.), and Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet Subcommittee Ranking Member Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) – reforms our nation's intelligence-gathering programs operated under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.), Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), and Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet Subcommittee Ranking Member Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) will introduce the USA Freedom Act of 2015 This bipartisan bill builds on the Committee's extensive work on this issue last Congress, containing even stronger protections for Americans' civil liberties, providing for even greater transparency for
Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-MD) issued statements strongly opposing efforts by Republicans to overturn anti-discrimination bills that protect workplace equality, reproductive choice, and educational equality in the District of Columbia.
Ranking Member Conyers stated:
– Yesterday, lead sponsors Rep. John Lewis (GA-5), House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5), Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn (SC-6), Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13), and Rep. Robert Brady (PA-1) and more than 170 Democrats reintroduced the Voter Empowerment Act in the House of Representatives. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York will introduce a companion version in the Senate.
Today, U.S. House Judiciary Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) reintroduced H.R. 1459, the "Democracy Restoration Act of 2015." Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) yesterday introduced its Senate companion, S. 772. The bill would create uniform federal standards for returning the voting rights of ex-offenders to vote in federal elections.