News

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Representative Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) today introduced legislation to protect consumers from unfair taxes on digital goods, like those purchased over the Internet or on a smartphone.  The Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2011 (H.R.

Washington, D.C. - Senate Democrats today reintroduced the DREAM Act, legislation that would legalize millions of illegal immigrants currently living in the United States.  Following the introduction of this bill, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) released the statement below. 

Washington, D.C. - Claiming that the border is more secure than ever, President Obama today called for legislation to legalize millions of illegal immigration during a speech he gave in El Paso, Texas.  Following the President’s remarks, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) released the statement below. 

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has instructed an immigration court to ignore the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in future rulings. Earlier this year, the Justice Department abandoned its obligation to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a federal law enacted by Congress and signed by President Clinton to protect the institution of marriage.

Washington, D.C. - Yesterday during testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano unveiled plans to develop a “border security index” to measure enforcement progress along the Southwest border.  According to Secretary Napolitano, the border security index will include crime, immigration, and economic data.  Following this a

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today introduced the Secure Visas Act (H.R. 1741) to help prevent terrorists from obtaining U.S. visas and to allow U.S. officials to expedite the removal of terrorists who are in the United States on a visa. 

Washington, D.C. - The House of Representatives today passed legislation to ban the federal funding of abortion by a vote of 251-175.  The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 3) codifies the Hyde Amendment and similar provisions to ensure that American taxpayers are not forced to pay for or subsidize abortion. 

Washington, D.C. - Today, House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging him to take legal action against a recently enacted Utah law that creates its own guestworker program for illegal immigrants who have lived or worked in the state prior to May 10, 2011.  Last year, the Justice Department sued the state of Arizona fo