Opening Statement

Statement of Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr.
Hearing on: Oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice
Full Committee

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at 10:00 A.M.
2141 Rayburn Building

Mr. Chairman, I would like to begin by asking you to join me in reminding our members that we must conduct ourselves in a manner that befits the House Judiciary Committee. The attorney general of the United States is our guest. No matter what our political differences may be, he is worthy of our full attention, our courtesy, and our respect. Attorney General Holder, welcome.

Statement of Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr.
Hearing on: Innocence for Sale: Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 at 10:00 A.M.
2141 Rayburn Building

Statement of Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr.
Hearing on: "Section 512 of Title 17"
Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet

Thursday, March 13, 2014 at 9:30 A.M.
2141 Rayburn Building

Today's hearing provides an important opportunity for us to examine online service provider liability, and the effectiveness of section 512 of title 17 of the United States Code.

Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
For the Floor Debate on H.R. 3973, the "Faithful Execution of the Law Act of 2014"

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

[I yield such time as I may consume]

M. Speaker: As with our consideration of H.R. 4138, the ENFORCE Act, I must note the lack of deliberative process pertaining to the consideration of this bill.

Like the ENFORCE Act, the Judiciary Committee failed to hold a single legislative hearing on H.R. 3973, the "Faithful Execution of the Law Act of 2014." Nor was there a Subcommittee markup.

Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
In Support of Conyers Amendment to H.R. 4138, the
"ENFORCE the Law Act of 2014"

My amendment would exclude actions to combat discrimination and protect civil rights enforcement from the scope of the bill. The last thing we should want to do as a Congress is to pass legislation that makes it more difficult to protect our citizen's civil rights, by executive action or otherwise. Yet if H.R. 4138 had been law, several of the most critical civil rights milestones our nation has experienced would have been subject to unnecessary congressional challenge in the courts.

Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
For Floor Debate on H.R. 4138, the "Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enactments of the Law Act"

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

[I yield myself such time as I may consume]

M. Speaker, the ENFORCE Act, like so many other bills we have considered this Congress, is truly a solution in search of an imaginary problem.

Statement of Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr.
Hearing on: Exploring Alternative Solutions on the Internet Sales Tax Issue
Full Committee
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 10:00 A.M.
2141 Rayburn Building

Since the Supreme Court's 1992 Quill decision, Congress has considered various legislative responses. These include the Main Street Fairness Act and the Marketplace Fairness Act, which the Senate overwhelmingly passed last May. But today's hearing focuses on alternatives to those prior legislative initiatives. And, I welcome the discussion on these ideas.

Statement of Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr.
Hearing on: Enforcing the President's Constitutional Duty to Faithfully Execute the Laws
Full Committee
Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 10:00 A.M.
2138 Rayburn Building

Statement of Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr.
Hearing on: "Asylum Fraud: Abusing America's Compassion?"
Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security
Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at 10:00 A.M.
2141 Rayburn Building

Statement of Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr.
Hearing on: H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice
Thursday, January 9, 2014 at 10:00 A.M.
2141 Rayburn Building

Floor Statement of Rep. Melvin L. Watt (N.C.)
General Debate in Opposition
H.R. 3309, the "Innovation Act"
December 5, 2013

Floor Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
in Support of Conyers-Watt Substitute Amendment
H.R. 3309, the "Innovation Act"

December 5, 2013

On behalf of Representative Watt and myself, I am offering a substitute amendment that gives members an opportunity to vote for language that will actually address the identifiable abuses in the patent system.

Floor Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
H.R. 3309, the "Innovation Act"
December 5, 2013

Madam Speaker:

Statement of Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr.
Hearing on: The President's Constitutional Duty to Faithfully Execute the Laws
Committee on the Judiciary
Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at 10:00 AM
2141 Rayburn Building

Floor Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
H.R. 982, the "Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2013"
November 13, 2013

Mr. Speaker:

I strongly oppose H.R. 982, the "Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2013," or the "FACT Act."