Press Releases
Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today called for Democrats to reauthorize national security provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act and Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act that are scheduled to expire at the end of this week.
Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today responded to the Justice Department’s decision not to pursue disciplinary action against the authors of the Office of Legal Counsel memos authorizing enhanced interrogation tactics:
Ranking Member Smith: “It is important that future government lawyers know that their efforts to protect Americans will not be criminalized by future administrations.
Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today urged the Justice Department to provide substantive information regarding the number of terrorists currently housed in U.S. prisons and the number of terrorists successfully prosecuted in the U.S. post 9-11.
Washington, DC - Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-TX) today issued the following statement regarding the President’s fiscal year 2011 budget proposal:
“The President’s budget proves once again that the Obama administration is not serious about enforcing our nation’s immigration laws.
Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today issued the following statement regarding the Obama Administration’s FY 2011 Budget request:
Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today responded to reports that the Obama administration is rethinking holding the trial of the 9-11 terrorists at a federal courthouse in Manhattan. The decision to relocate the trial comes after Mayor Bloomberg publicly announced his opposition to the trial being held in lower Manhattan due to cost and security concerns.
Ranking Member Smith issued the following statement, urging the President to rethink his plan to bring terrorists to the U.S.:
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Lamar Smith, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, said that President Obama’s actions on spending, jobs and national security speak louder than his words:
Out of Control Spending:
“After one year in office the President has increased spending by 66% and tripled the annual deficit - the amount the government has overspent (from $458 billion to $1.4 trillion). The national unemployment rate has grown from 7.7% to 10.0%.
Washington, DC - Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-TX) and Congressman Gary Miller (R-CA), both members of the newly-formed “Reclaim American Jobs Caucus” issued the following statement today in response to a report commissioned by the Chicago Urban League and the Alternative Schools Network. Among other findings, the study found:
Washington, D.C. - House Republicans today introduced legislation requiring the Justice Department (DOJ) to consult with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense before giving terrorists Miranda rights. The Ensuring the Collection of Critical Intelligence Act of 2010 (H.R. 4503) requires DOJ to consult with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense before mirandizing or charging a foreign terrorist as a criminal.
Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today applauded the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn federal campaign finance restrictions to free speech of corporations. Specifically, the law (passed in the 107th Congress) limited how much money corporations, nonprofit organizations and unions can spend on television ads that support or oppose a named federal candidate 30 days prior to a primary election and 60 days prior to a general election.