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Press Releases

March 18, 2010

Washington, DC - Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-TX) responded today to the outline of the latest mass amnesty proposal.  The outline does not hold any surprises and lays out the same vision for amnesty that President Obama and the Democrats have promised to the illegal immigrant lobby.

Ranking Member Smith:  “The bill doesn't have a prayer because the American people oppose rewarding lawbreakers, which then encourages illegal immigration.

March 16, 2010

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today responded to Attorney General Holder’s testimony before the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee regarding civilian trials for terrorists.  

March 12, 2010

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and House Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) today expressed concern over the Obama administration’s continued refusal to investigate voter registration fraud allegations against ACORN.

March 12, 2010
Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today responded to a U.S. Sentencing Commission report that found serious sentencing disparities for federal defendants based on race, gender, level of education and citizenship. According to the report, since the Supreme Court’s decision in U.S. v.
March 5, 2010

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) issued the following statement in response to media reports indicating that Obama Administration advisers plan to recommend that 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-conspirators be tried in military commissions in the U.S.

March 4, 2010

Washington, DC - Senator John Cornyn (TX) and Representative Lamar Smith (TX-21) introduced companion bills in the Senate and House today to improve the security of our nation’s visa issuing process.  The Secure Visas Act of 2010, HR 4758, mandates that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) maintain U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Visa Security Units (VSU) at the 14 consular posts that already have them and create units at the 16 other posts that ICE has designated as “highest-risk.” 

March 4, 2010

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas), and Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) released the following joint statement on the Senate Judiciary Committee draft for patent reform:

February 26, 2010

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), Committee Ranking Minority Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas), and Representative Howard Berman (D-Calif.) released the following joint statement on the status of patent reform in Congress:

February 25, 2010

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today criticized Democrats’ proposal to the Intelligence Authorization Act. The manager’s amendment imposes criminal penalties of up to 20 years on interrogators for the use of techniques including isolation, sleep deprivation, or even the mere presence of military working dogs during an interrogation.

February 23, 2010

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today criticized Attorney General Holder’s claim that the plea of Najibullah Zazi is proof that the federal courts can successfully handle the Gitmo terror trials.