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Press Releases

December 7, 2011

Washington, D.C. - The House of Representatives today passed legislation to rein in the costly overreach of federal agencies that stifles job creation and slows economic growth. The Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act (H.R. 10) passed by a vote of 241-184.

December 6, 2011

POLITICO to Honor Rep. Smith for his work on Patent Reform Legislation

December 2, 2011

Washington, D.C. - The House of Representatives today passed legislation to reform the federal regulatory process and reduce unnecessary burdens on job creators by a vote of 253-167. The Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 3010), places permanent restrictions on regulatory agencies and restores accountability by requiring openness and transparency in the regulatory process.

December 1, 2011

Washington, D.C. - The House of Representatives today passed legislation to provide urgently needed help to small businesses by a vote of 263-159. The Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011 (H.R. 527) requires agencies to identify the costs new regulations could impose on small businesses and to write the regulations in ways that reduce those costs.

November 29, 2011

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s veto threat for H.R. 3010, the Regulatory Accountability Act. 

November 22, 2011

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today urged the Obama Administration to provide documents and staff interviews regarding former Solicitor General Elena Kagan’s involvement in the review of President Obama’s health care legislation and anticipated litigation over the constitutionality of its provisions.  

November 18, 2011

Washington, D.C. - House Democrats today blocked passage of a constitutional amendment that would have required the federal government to balance its budget.  H.J. Res.

November 18, 2011

Washington, D.C. - The House of Representatives today continued floor debate on H.J. Res. 2, a proposed Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution.  House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) managed the floor debate for Republicans and urged his colleagues to support the measure.  The House is expected to vote on H.J. Res. 2 later today.

November 18, 2011

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) following their inadequate response to the Judiciary Committee’s subpoena and urged the agency to immediately comply.

November 17, 2011

Washington, D.C. - The Obama administration today has moved forward with its plan to implement backdoor amnesty through administrative action.  In August, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established a working group to begin a case-by-case review of illegal immigrants in removal proceedings and with a final order of removal to determine if those individuals should