Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law Chairman Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), Subcommittee Ranking Member Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), and Congressman Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) introduced H.R. 3086, the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act. The Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act keeps Internet access affordable, drives innovation, and promotes access to the Internet as a critical gateway to jobs, education, healthcare, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Washington, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee approved H.R. 2655, the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act (LARA) by a vote of 17-10. LARA helps reduce frivolous lawsuits in the United States' legal system. The bill holds attorneys accountable for lawsuit abuse by imposing mandatory sanctions on lawyers who file baseless lawsuits in federal courts. LARA is one of several bills that House Judiciary Committee members have introduced to make the United States' legal system more efficient and fair.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Tex.), chief sponsor of LARA, praised today's committee vote.

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) issued the statement below following the Obama Administration’s policy directive to U.S.

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) sent a letter today to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano expressing concern regarding the recent surge in foreign nationals, largely from Mexico, claiming asylum at U.S. ports of entry and a potential correlation between the Obama Administration’s decisions to issue policies contrary to law. In recent years, “credible fear” requests at U.S. ports of entry have nearly quadrupled from approximately 5,500 requests in FY 2009 to about 19,000 requests through May of FY 2013. If the present trends continue, U.S.

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) issued the statement below following Attorney General Eric Holder’s speech to the American Bar Association.

Chairman Goodlatte: “Unfortunately, the Obama Administration has a pattern of overstepping its constitutional bounds by selectively enforcing our laws and attempting to change them through executive fiat in blatant disregard for the limitations the U.S. Constitution places on the Executive Branch.

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) issued the statement below following President Barack Obama’s remarks and proposed changes to some of the National Security Administration’s (NSA) intelligence-gathering programs. Last week, Chairman Goodlatte and other Members of the House of Representatives and Senate met with President Obama to discuss our nation’s surveillance programs.

Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives approved H.R. 367, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act (REINS Act) by a vote of 232-183. The REINS Act curbs unnecessary major regulations from agencies and holds federal bureaucrats accountable for imposing the heaviest burdens on America's economy. The REINS Act specifically requires that federal agencies submit major regulations to Congress for approval; guarantees that no major regulation becomes effective until Congress approves it; and provides that a fast up or down vote occurs on major rules within 70 legislative days.

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and other Members of the House of Representatives and Senate today met with President Barack Obama to discuss our nation’s surveillance programs. Chairman Goodlatte released the following statement reacting to today’s meeting.

Chairman Goodlatte: “Today I joined several Members of the House and Senate in having a frank conversation with President Obama regarding the National Security Agency’s (NSA) intelligence-gathering programs.