Today, Ranking Member John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) of the House Judiciary Committee, joined Congressman John B. Larson (D-Conn.), chairman of the Task Force on Election Reform, and Ranking Member Robert A. Brady (D-Penn.) of the Committee on House Administration, in submitting an Amicus brief to the Supreme Court regarding the upcoming McCutcheon v. FEC case. The three leading members were joined on... Read more »
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives considered H.R. 2397, the “Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2014.” Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Congressman Justin Amash (R-Mich.) offered an amendment to this legislation that would curtail the blanket collection of telephone records by the National Security Agency (NSA). During the debate over this amendment Rep. Conyers delivere... Read more »
Today, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee held a full committee markup of H.R. 1493, the "Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of 2013"; H.R. 2122, the "Regulatory Accountability Act of 2013"; H.R. 2542, the "Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Acts of 2013"; and H.R. 2641, the "Responsibly and Professionally Invigorating Development (RAPID) Act of 2013.” After his opening remarks, ... Read more »
"The Amash/Conyers amendment would ensure that Section 215 of the Patriot Act is used as Congress originally intended – to protect American citizens from terrorist threats, but not to erode our fundamental freedoms. This Amendment does not repeal Section 215. Rather, it ensures that data the NSA collects under this authority pertains to people actually under investigation, rather than to all Americans." Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security held a hearing entitled, “Addressing the Immigration Status of Illegal Immigrants Brought to the United States as Children.” After the first panel’s opening remarks, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement: “I am greatly encouraged by the tenor of today’s immigration reform hearing, and by my Republican colle... Read more »
Today, the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice held a hearing entitled, “The Voting Rights Act after the Supreme Court’s Decision in Shelby County.” Following his opening remarks, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement: “As the crown jewel of our nation’s civil rights laws, I was deeply dismayed by the Supreme Court’s decision in ... Read more »
Today, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee held a full committee hearing on, “Oversight of the administration’s Use of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Authorities.” The U.S. House Judiciary Committee is the committee of primary jurisdiction for both authorities principally discussed at the hearing today: Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act and Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act. Fol... Read more »
Following the jury’s verdict in the Trayvon Martin case, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement: “In the wake of this weekend’s verdict, I strongly support the Department of Justice’s determination to conduct an independent and thorough review of the Trayvon Martin case and consider whether federal charges should be brought. “Beyond the Department’s investigation, I... Read more »
Today, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), ranking member of the full U.S. House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, and Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-La.) se... Read more »