Media Center

Late Tuesday evening, former representative, and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Jack Brooks (D-Texas) passed away in his hometown of Beaumont in Texas. Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued this statement following the news of his passing:

"I am sad to learn that my former colleague and friend Jack Brooks has passed away.

Yesterday, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit rejected Michigan's ban on affirmative action in the state - Proposal 2 - which was passed by voters in 2006 as an amendment to the state constitution. The Court found that Proposal 2 deprives minorities of equal protection of the law by creating a structural burden that minority students would have to shoulder in order to address admissions policies. Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement in response:

(DETROIT) – Today, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), joined by Subcommittee on the Constitution Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Subcommittee on Elections Ranking Member Charles Gonzalez (D-TX), along with Representatives John Lewis (D-GA), Judy Chu (D-CA), and Marcia Fudge (D-OH), announced their intention to continue their investigation of state voting laws.

(DETROIT) – Today, the top Democratic members on committees responsible for elections, the Judiciary, and Oversight sent a second letter to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus calling on him to make clear the RNC's associations with individuals and companies charged with acts of voter registration fraud in states across the country.

(DETROIT) – Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court denied the state of Ohio's request for review of their early voting case. Previously, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, as well as a lower court in Ohio, ordered the state to remove restrictions to early voting the weekend prior to the general election because the restrictions did not equally protect all Ohio citizens. The Supreme Court's decision not to review the case means that early voting will be left in place during the weekend prior to the general election in Ohio. Congressman John Conyers, Jr.

(DETROIT) – Yesterday, former Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) passed away at age 82 following complications from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released this statement following the news of Senator Specter's passing:

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of a long-standing public servant for the state of Pennsylvania, Senator Arlen Specter. He was a strong-willed fighter who put the people of Pennsylvania before his party.

Today, Judge Robert Simpson of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania partially blocked the state of Pennsylvania's voter ID law. Specifically, the court struck down two provisions of the law that required voters to show their IDs within six days or appear before the county board of elections. Although the injunction applies to the election this November, the Judge stated that future hearings would be scheduled on the merits of the case brought by the plaintiffs. Further, election officials may still ask to see an individual's ID, but an ID will not be required to cast a regular ballot.

Today Representatives Jim Sensenbrenner, former chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and John Conyers, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee and also a former chair of the Committee, introduced the Athlete Due Process Protection Act of 2012, a bipartisan bill that will strengthen the United States Anti-Doping Agency's (USADA) ability to ensure a fair playing field in sports.