Press Releases

Washington, D.C.- House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today introduced a resolution disapproving the ruling of a federal district judge overturning the decision of a majority of California voters to define marriage as the legal union between a man and a woman.  

Washington, D.C.- U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker today overrode the decision of a majority of California voters to define marriage as the legal union between a man and a woman.  House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today criticized the decision as a judicial overreach that undermines democracy and silences the voice of the people.

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today sent a letter to Acting Special Counsel William Reukauf calling for an investigation into allegations that employees of the Civil Rights Division have suffered harassment based upon race, religious beliefs, or perceived political allegiance.  If these allegations are true, it means that Justice Department employees themselves-who are tasked with enforcing federal laws-are in violation of federal law. 

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today sent a letter to Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine urging the IG to investigate allegations that the Civil Rights Division has engaged in racially discriminatory and politically motivated enforcement of federal voting rights laws. 

Washington, DC - According to an internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memo obtained by Senator Chuck Grassley, the Obama administration is scheming to allow millions of illegal immigrants to stay and work in the United States. 

“The Obama administration is conspiring to implement amnesty without any Congressional action,” Ranking Member Lamar Smith (TX-21) said Friday. 

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today opposed S. 1789, a bill to reduce the sentencing disparity between crack cocaine and cocaine powder. 

Ranking Member Smith:  “While it is disappointing that Judge Bolton is siding with the Obama administration against Arizona’s immigration enforcement law, it is not surprising that a Democratic appointee would do so.  The federal government has failed to do its job of securing the border and enforcing immigration laws for too long.  Today’s ruling from this federal judge will be seen by Arizonans - and the majority of Americans who support the law - as just another in the long line of federal failures to deal with illegal immigration and border security

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today sent a letter to President Obama urging the Administration to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the unexplained dismissal of voter intimidation charges against the New Black Panther Party and some of its members. Ranking Member Smith also requested that the review include whether the Department has adopted a policy of enforcing voting rights laws in a racially discriminatory manner.