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Today, the Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law held a hearing on H.R. 1996, the "Government Litigation Savings Act". The bill would prevent our veterans and elderly from recovering their legal fees under the Equal Access to Justice Act, which for 30 years has helped to ensure that senior citizens, veterans, environmental groups, and other non-profit organizations can vindicate their rights against unreasonable governmental action. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released the following statement in response to the hearing:

Today, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. Previously, the Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution held a hearing on H. J. Res 1, a balanced budget amendment, which the Full Committee subsequently reported. During the hearing, the majority's witnesses, including former U.S.attorney general and Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburgh, acknowledged that they could not support a balanced budget amendment as reported by the House Judiciary Committee. Following the hearing, Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr.

Yesterday, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-Va.), and House Judiciary Committee Member Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) wrote a letter to the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles urging them to reconsider the decision to conclude Troy Davis' death penalty clemency hearing. Mr. Davis' defense team was unable to finish presenting evidence in support of his request for clemency. Specifically, Mr.