Press Releases
Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Committee on the Judiciary Ranking Member John Conyers (MI-13) issued the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order on the National Day of Prayer, that allegedly promotes "religious liberty":
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and the bill's chief sponsor, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.), issued the following statements upon the House Judiciary Committee's approval of the Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2017 (H.R. 2266) by voice vote.
Every two years, the Judicial Conference of the United States undertakes a comprehensive survey of all judicial circuits to determine whether to request additional bankruptcy judgeships and whether any temporary bankruptcy judgeships should be extended.
Three Years after Disastrous Flint Water Switch Conyers, Kildee, and Lawrence Reintroduce Bill to Stop Emergency Managers
Reps. Kristi Noem (R-SD) and John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) today led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in reintroducing H.R. 2193, the Remote Transactions Parity Act (RTPA), which aims to create a level playing field so Main Street stores and online retailers can compete fairly. Reps. Steve Womack (R-AR), Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Steve Stivers (R-OH), Lou Barletta (R-PA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), and David Cicilline (D-RI) joined Noem and Conyers as lead cosponsors for the reintroduction.
The House of Representatives today approved by a vote of 378-48 the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act (H.R. 1695). This bipartisan bill – introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) -- makes important changes to the selection process for the head of the U.S. Copyright Office, known as the Register of Copyrights.
I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1695, the "Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017."
As the lead Democratic cosponsor of this bipartisan and bicameral legislation, I am pleased that this bill passed the Judiciary Committee last month by a vote of 27 to 1.
This legislation represents sound public policy that will strengthen the copyright system.
To begin with, it has evolved directly from the bipartisan copyright review process that Chairman Goodlatte initiated back in 2013.
Mr. Chairman, I welcome this hearing as the Crime Subcommittee continues its oversight of the components of the Department of Justice that advance the Department's law enforcement mission.
The Bureau of Prisons and the Marshals Service both play important roles in this regard.
It is particularly important that we closely examine the administration of the Bureau of Prisons at this time.
Today, on the three-year anniversary of the water switch that resulted in a lead contamination in Flint, Mich., the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) sent a letter to President Trump questioning the Administration's commitment to the area in light of proposed budget cuts to EPA and other agencies. Although the water in the majority African-American city continues to improve and federal agencies have invested millions of dollars in resources in the area, residents still have to use filters and many of them don't trust that the water is safe for drinking and bathing.
The core copyright industries employ an estimated 5.5 million people, throughout all 50 states, and represent $1.2 trillion in GDP, almost 7 percent of the economy. Creators depend on the copyright laws, and a strong and independent Copyright Office. Since 2013, the House Judiciary Committee has been working on ways to improve the Copyright Office including making the Register a Presidentially appointed and Senate confirmed position in order to improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency at the Copyright Office.