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Committee on the Judiciary

The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also known as the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. The committee has jurisdiction over a wide range of issues related to the administration of justice, including:

  • Federal courts and judicial procedures
  • Civil rights and civil liberties
  • Constitutional amendments
  • Immigration and nationality
  • Monopolies and antitrust issues
  • Crime control and law enforcement
  • Drug policy

The committee is responsible for considering and reporting legislation related to these areas, as well as conducting oversight of the executive branch and the federal judiciary. The committee also has the authority to impeach federal officials, including the President, and to consider articles of impeachment.

The House Judiciary Committee is chaired by the Speaker of the House or, in the Speaker's absence, the Majority Leader. The ranking minority member is the Minority Leader or, in the Minority Leader's absence, the Minority Whip. The committee is composed of members of the U.S. House of Representatives, with each state represented by at least one member.

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2141 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING

May 3, 2016

Administration’s enforcement priorities on paper contradict policies in practice

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) today pressed top officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about its catch and release policy that directly contradicts the Obama Administration’s immigration enforcement priorities.

April 27, 2016
Bill allows federal law enforcement officers to carry their government-issued firearm on and off-dutyWashington, D.C.  – The House Judiciary Committee today approved by voice vote the Federal Law Enforcement Self Defense Protection Act (H.R. 2137) to ensure that officers are able to defend and protect themselves on and off-duty. Because federal law enforcement officers face potentially dangerous situations on a daily basis whether on duty or off-duty, they are permitted to carry their government-issued firearms even when they are not on duty.
April 25, 2016
Washington, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee has announced its schedule for the week of April 25-29, 2016. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2710:00 a.m. | Full Committee Markup
  • H.R. __, the “Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016” (Rep.
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2141 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING

April 21, 2016
Members of the working group met this week to discuss the path forwardWashington, D.C.  – The bipartisan encryption working group – announced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr.
April 20, 2016
Chairman Goodlatte: Today we consider H.R. 3380, the “Transnational Drug Trafficking Act of 2015,” which was introduced by our Judiciary Committee colleagues, Congressman Tom Marino of Pennsylvania and Congressman Pedro Pierluisi of Puerto Rico.  This legislation makes important changes to our federal drug laws to ensure that law enforcement has the tools it needs to combat extraterritorial drug trafficking.  It is also the first bill this Committee will consider as part of the House’s comprehensive response to the ongoing opioid epidemic that plagues our nation. It is often said in Washington that federal law cannot keep up with lawbreakers.  H.R.
April 20, 2016
Washington, D.C.  – The House Judiciary Committee today approved by voice vote the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2015 (S. 125) to save law enforcement officers’ lives. Since 1999, the bulletproof vest program has awarded more than 13,000 jurisdictions, a total of $393 million in federal funds for the purchase of over one million vests. Based on the latest data collected and recorded by the Department of Justice, in Fiscal Year 2012, protective vests were directly attributable to saving the lives of at least 33 law enforcement and corrections officers, in 20 different states.
April 20, 2016
Washington, D.C. – Today the House Judiciary Committee approved S.