Press Releases

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has instructed an immigration court to ignore the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in future rulings. Earlier this year, the Justice Department abandoned its obligation to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a federal law enacted by Congress and signed by President Clinton to protect the institution of marriage.

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today introduced the Secure Visas Act (H.R. 1741) to help prevent terrorists from obtaining U.S. visas and to allow U.S. officials to expedite the removal of terrorists who are in the United States on a visa. 

Washington, D.C. - Yesterday during testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano unveiled plans to develop a “border security index” to measure enforcement progress along the Southwest border.  According to Secretary Napolitano, the border security index will include crime, immigration, and economic data.  Following this a

Washington, D.C. - The House of Representatives today passed legislation to ban the federal funding of abortion by a vote of 251-175.  The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 3) codifies the Hyde Amendment and similar provisions to ensure that American taxpayers are not forced to pay for or subsidize abortion. 

Washington, D.C. - Today, House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging him to take legal action against a recently enacted Utah law that creates its own guestworker program for illegal immigrants who have lived or worked in the state prior to May 10, 2011.  Last year, the Justice Department sued the state of Arizona fo

Washington, D.C. - The House Judiciary Committee today approved the America Invents Act (H.R. 1249), a bill to modernize and reform the patent system. The bill was reported favorably to the House floor by a vote of 32-3. Similar to legislation supported overwhelmingly by the Senate in March, H.R.

Washington, D.C. - Leading members of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees spoke to reporters Monday afternoon on Capitol Hill about the continuing harm online infringement and counterfeits pose to American jobs and the economy.

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) issued the following statement in response to reports that the Obama Administration will prosecute Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) and the 9-11 co-conspirators in a military commission trial.