Today, at the House Judiciary markup of H.J. Res 1, the Republican balanced budget constitutional amendment, Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), offered an amendment that would exempt Medicare from the draconian budget proposal. H.J. Res. 1 would amend the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced budget and a super majority vote of both houses in order to run a deficit, increase taxes, rais... Read more »
Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Congressman Hansen Clarke (D-Mich.) called for the federal government to take the necessary steps to counter anti-Muslim sentiment.“We believe that this sense of Congress is a logical step toward sending the message that the American Muslim community should be able to enjoy the rights guaranteed under the Constitution ... Read more »
Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Congressman Ed Markey (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and former chairman of the Communications, Technology and the Internet Subcommittee, held a press conference to raise antitrust and public interest concerns surrounding the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile wireless telecommunicati... Read more »
Today, after the House Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee Hearing on litigation’s effect on America’s global competitiveness, Committee Ranking Member John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) dismissed the fallacy that tilting the playing field in favor of corporations and leaving individual citizens without recourse in the courtroom would solve all of America’s economic woes. “I have always argued that our le... Read more »
Today, at a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on H.R. 1932, Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) criticized the bill as a massive, unconstitutional expansion of the government’s ability to detain immigrants for many years—even indefinitely—with little or no procedural protections at all.“It is ironic that this bill comes from the Judiciary Committee leadership that should be prote... Read more »
Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) commended Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano for granting his request for an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti nationals. Effective July 23, 2011, the extension will allow eligible Haiti nationals to remain in the U.S. for an additional 18 months and expand TPS designation to H... Read more »
Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) joined Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) in introducing H.R. 1896, the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Improvements Act of 2011. The proposal would establish legislative authority for the COPS Office at the Justice Department to: administer grants for the hiring of police officers and deputy sheriffs, reestab... Read more »
Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) introduced H.R. 1899, the “Oil Consumer Protection Act of 2011,” to subject the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to U.S. antitrust laws, prohibiting oil and gas companies from unilaterally withholding gasoline supply to create a shortage, with the intent of raising prices.“You do not have to look very h... Read more »
Today House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) commended U.S. Justice Department Attorney General Eric Holder for extending the tenure of FBI Director Robert Mueller for an additional two years. First nominated by former President George W. Bush on September 4, 2001, Director Mueller’s 10-year term was set to expire later this year.“Although I have disagreed with Direct... Read more »
House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) has introduced the “USA PATRIOT Act Sunset Extension Act of 2011,” the House counterpart to a bipartisan bill that recently passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. The proposal makes meaningful improvements to the PATRIOT Act and related authorities, and has the support of the Obama Administration and the intelligence community. T... Read more »
