News

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. 

Washington, D.C. - Chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus Congressman Brian Bilbray, Congressman Trent Franks and the Ranking Member on the Committee on the Judiciary Lamar Smith have filed an Amicus Curiae, or Friend of the Court Brief, with the United States District Court in Arizona in regards to the Obama Administration's lawsuit US v. Arizona. The brief supports Arizona and was filed on behalf of the bipartisan Immigration Reform Caucus, 76 Members of the House of Representatives and five U.S. Senators.

Washington, DC - The House of Representatives today voted to pass two bipartisan bills, both co-sponsored by Ranking Member Lamar Smith (TX-21), that will ease the immigration process in international adoption cases.

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today issued the following statement in response to Democrats’ release of Committee testimony by Judge Jay Bybee.

Ranking Member Smith: “I appreciate Judge Bybee’s thorough effort to be truthful and forthcoming in answering all questions presented by the Judiciary Committee. Unfortunately, Democrats in Congress would rather criticize Bush administration policies that kept America safe than prevent future terrorist attacks. 

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today criticized the decision by a federal district court judge in Boston to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  In 1996, the DOMA was passed with bipartisan support in Congress and signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton.

Washington, DC - In a letter to Attorney General Holder, Ranking Member Lamar Smith and 19 other Members of Congress criticized the Obama administration’s decision to challenge Arizona’s 2010 immigration enforcement law, SB1070. 

Ranking Member Smith: “An Obama administration lawsuit against the people of the state of Arizona reflects the height of irresponsibility and arrogance.  A suit by the Administration insults the views of 60 percent of the American people who support this needed law.”

Washington, DC - Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today applauded the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Second Amendment rights of all Americans.  The Justices ruled 5-4 in McDonald v.

Washington, DC - Fourteen members of Congress sent a letter today to Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jeff Sessions asking him to question Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan about her role in the Obama administration’s decision to ask the Court to overturn a 2007 Arizona immigration enforcement law.