News

Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives today approved by a vote of 302-121 the USA Freedom Act (H.R. 3361), a bipartisan bill authored by Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) that ends bulk collection of data by the government and reforms our nation’s intelligence-gathering programs operated under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) Jeh Johnson requesting information about unlawful and criminal aliens who were identified by federal, state, or law enforcement authorities but not removed from the United States due to the Obama Administration’s lax immigration enforcement policies.

Chairman Goodlatte:  From the founding of the American republic, this country has been engaged in a profound debate about the limits of government.  In the Federalist Papers, the Founders argued passionately for a Federal Government that would protect the American people from foreign threats. 

At the same time, the Founders struggled to create a structure to contain and control that government in order to protect the God-given rights of the American people.  They carefully crafted the Constitution and Bill of Rights to accomplish these two different, yet complimentary, goals.

Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives today approved several pieces of bipartisan legislation to combat the growing problem of human trafficking. Three of these bills were recently approved by the House Judiciary Committee on April 30, 2014.

Chairman Goodlatte:  There is no more vulnerable segment of this country’s population than its children.  For far too long, jurisdictions across the country have failed to adequately protect and support minor victims of commercial sex trafficking by treating them as the criminals.  This must stop.

Unfortunately, according to FBI statistics, the commercial sex trade is the fastest growing activity of organized criminal groups.  The number of children facing sexual exploitation, rape, emotional trauma, and, in many cases, criminal prosecution grows every day.

Chairman Goodlatte:  Unfortunately, while the growth of the Internet and smartphones has proved to be of great value in many aspects of our lives, it has also been used by criminals to facilitate the commercial exploitation of children and other victims by providing an easy way for pimps, or traffickers, to market minor sex trafficking victims to potential purchasers who seek to do them harm.  With the click of a button, individuals can now use websites to advertise, schedule, and purchase sexual encounters with minors, just like they would use these services to rent a car or order a pizza.

Chairman Goodlatte:  There is no more vulnerable segment of this country’s population than its children.  For far too long, jurisdictions across the country have failed to adequately protect and support minor victims of commercial sex trafficking by treating them as the criminals.  This must stop.

Unfortunately, according to FBI statistics, the commercial sex trade is the fastest growing activity of organized criminal groups.  The number of children facing sexual exploitation, rape, emotional trauma, and, in many cases, criminal prosecution grows every day.

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) released the statement below following the announcement that President Obama will designate 500,000 acres in southern New Mexico near the U.S.-Mexico border as a national monument, half of which will be set aside as “wilderness.” Unfortunately, documents show that the Departments of Interior and Agriculture are using environmental regulations to prevent the Border Patrol from accessing portions of the 21 million acres along the U.S.-Mexico border and over 1,000 miles of the U.S.-Canada border.