2012 Press Releases

Smith on STEM Jobs Act Vote: Democrats Vote Against Jobs and Economy (9/20/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives today voted on the STEM Jobs Act (H.R. 6429) but it fell short of a two-thirds majority needed to move the bill under suspension of the rules in a vote of 257-158...more

Statement of Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith Floor Consideration of H.R. 6429, the "STEM Jobs Act of 2012"(9/20/2012)
Chairman Smith: "When it comes to STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and math – American universities set the standard. Our STEM graduates create the innovations and new businesses that fuel our economic growth and create jobs...more

Strong Support for the STEM Jobs Act (9/20/2012)
Washington, D.C. –Leading up to the House of Representatives' floor vote on the STEM Jobs Act (H.R. 6429), support for the legislation among national associations, U.S. employers, and trade and professional organizations continues to grow...more

Broad Coalition Calls for Bipartisan Passage of STEM Jobs Act (9/19/2012)
Washington, D.C. –A broad coalition of over 100 national associations, U.S. employers, and state and local associations today asked for bipartisan passage of the STEM Jobs Act (H.R. 6429). This bill, sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas)...more

Smith Responds to IG Report on Operation Fast & Furious (9/19/2012)
Washington, D.C. –House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) issued the following statement in response to today's release of the Justice Department Inspector General's report on Operation Fast and Furious...more

GOP Chairmen to Administration: Don't Release Convicted Terrorist to Egypt (9/19/2012)
Washington, D.C. –A group of House Republican Chairmen today expressed concern about reports that the Obama administration is considering the release of Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the "blind sheikh," to the custody of Egypt for humanitarian and health reasons...more

Smith Introduces the STEM Jobs Act (9/18/2012)
Washington, D.C. –House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and nearly 50 Members of Congress today introduced bipartisan legislation to help the United States boost job creation, grow our economy...more

Smith Releases Draft STEM Legislation (9/14/2012)
Washington, D.C. –House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today released a draft proposal to help the United States boost job creation, grow our economy, and remain globally...more

House Reauthorizes E-Verify for Three Years (9/13/2012)
Washington, D.C. –The House of Representatives today passed a bill to reauthorize E-Verify for three years. This successful, web-based program quickly identifies illegal immigrants working in the U.S. and protects...more

House Passes Five Year Extension of the FISA Amendments Act(9/12/2012)
Washington, D.C. –The House of Representatives today voted to reauthorize an important national security law that allows intelligence officials to more quickly ...more

Smith Statement on Administration's Approval of Amnesty Applications (9/12/2012)
Washington, D.C. –The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that it has received 72,000 applications from illegal immigrants seeking...more

Smith and Aderholt to DHS: Don't Retaliate Against ICE Agents (8/24/2012)
Washington, D.C. –House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.)....more

Smith: Administration Cooks the Books to Achieve Deportation Numbers (8/24/2012)
Washington, D.C. –The House Judiciary Committee has obtained internal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) documents, which show that the Obama administration is cooking the books to achieve their so-called ‘record’ deportation numbers for illegal immigrants and that removals are actually significantly down – not up – from 2009....more

Texas Republicans Support ICE Agents Suing Administration Over Amnesty Program (8/23/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Several U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents today filed a lawsuit in Texas against the Obama administration’s amnesty program...more

Smith: Illegal Immigrants at the Top of President's Jobs Agenda (8/14/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security tomorrow will begin accepting applications from illegal immigrants seeking to benefit from the President's amnesty program...more

Smith and Grassley: How Will DHS Prevent Fraud and Abuse in Amnesty Program? (8/13/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano expressing concern about the Department's plan...more

Smith and Grassley to DHS: Who Will Cover the Cost of Administrative Amnesty? (8/7/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) today sent a letter...more

Administrative DREAM Act Guidance Puts Illegal Immigrants Ahead of Americans (8/3/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security today issued implementation guidance for the Administration's DREAM Act amnesty to stop deporting and begin giving work permits to potentially millions of illegal immigrants. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) criticized the Obama administration's announcement in the statement below....more

House Approves Bipartisan Bill to Protect Children (8/2/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Last night, the House of Representatives passed the Child Protection Act of 2012 (H.R. 6063) by voice vote. The bill provides law enforcement officials with important tools and additional resources to combat the growing threat of child pornography and online exploitation of children...more

House Passes Bill to Protect America's Trade Secrets (8/2/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Last night, the House passed bipartisan legislation to help protect the trade secrets of American companies from foreign thieves. The Foreign and Economic Espionage Penalty Enhancement Act of 2012 (H.R. 6029)...more

Statement of Chairman Lamar Smith on the House Floor, H.R. 6063, the Child Protection Act (7/31/2012)
Chairman Smith: Internet child pornography may be the fastest growing crime in America, increasing an average of 150% per year. Every day online criminals prey on America’s children with virtual anonymity. And according to recent estimates, there are as many as 100,000 fugitive sex offenders in the U.S...more

House Judiciary Report Finds Administration's Lax Immigration Policies Are Deadly (7/31/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee today released a report finding that thousands of illegal and criminal immigrants released by federal authorities as a result of the Obama administration's lax immigration policies have gone on to commit more crimes, including murder, rape, kidnapping, and child molestation...more

House Approves Bill to Cut Red Tape (7/26/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The House today passed the Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act (H.R. 4078) by a vote of 245-172. The bill provides immediate relief to small businesses by freezing the most costly unnecessary regulations by the Obama administration. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), an original co-sponsor of the bill, praised the House vote...more

Judiciary Republicans to Administration: Keep Border Patrol Stations Open (7/20/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and nearly a dozen Judiciary Republicans today sent a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Chief David Aguilar demanding that the agency rescind its decision to shut down nine Border Patrol stations located across four states...more

Smith: DOJ's Challenge to Texas Law Crumbles in Court (7/13/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Arguments are scheduled to conclude today in the Obama administration's case challenging Texas' voter ID law, which requires voters to show a valid, government-issued photo ID...more

Smith Asks to Interview Administration Officials re: National Security Leaks (7/12/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today sent a letter to President Barack Obama requesting that seven senior Administration...more

Broad Coalition Calls for STEM Bill (7/12/2012)
Washington, D.C. – A broad coalition of U.S. employers, higher education, and trade and professional organizations today issued a letter to all Members of the U.S. House of Representatives commending House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith...more

Smith Votes to Repeal Obamacare (7/11/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Lamar Smith (TX-21) today voted to repeal the President's costly and ineffective government takeover of the health care sector. The Republican-led House of Representatives passed the Repeal of Obamacare Act (H.R. 6079) by a vote of 244-185...more

Smith: Leaks Endanger American Lives (7/11/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today expressed concern about the effect of classified leaks on national security at a Crime Subcommittee...more

Floor Statement of Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith Regarding Obamacare Repeal (7/10/2012)
Chairman Smith: I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. [Madam] Speaker, I support this legislation to repeal the Democrats' health care law, which will shrink jobs, increase taxes and limit Americans' freedom...more

Committee Approves Bill to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation (7/10/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee today approved the Child Protection Act of 2012 (H.R. 6063) by voice vote. Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), chief sponsor of the bill, praised the Committee vote. ...more

Smith: Silence on Dem Data Firm Raises Suspicion that DOJ Has Something to Hide (7/9/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The Justice Department today missed the deadline to respond to an inquiry from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) about the Department's...more

Smith: DOJ Relied on Democratic Data Firm in Challenge to Texas Law (7/5/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today questioned Attorney General Eric Holder about the Justice Department's decision to hire an explicitly Democratic data firm to conduct analysis on the Texas voter identification law...more

Smith Demands Answers on Administration's Deceptive Amnesty (7/3/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today sent a letter to Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) John Morton demanding...more

Bipartisan Bill Protects Children from Sexual Exploitation (6/29/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) today introduced legislation to protect children from sexual exploitation...more

Smith Votes to Hold AG Holder in Contempt (6/28/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today voted in support of a resolution to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress. The House approved the contempt resolution by a vote of 255-67...more

Smith: Disappointed but not Deterred (6/28/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today responded to the Supreme Court's ruling in Obamacare...more

Smith Introduces Bill to Protect America's Trade Secrets (6/27/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Smith Introduces Bill to Protect America's Trade Secrets Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today introduced bipartisan ...more

Smith: Administration Delivers Knock-Out Punch to Arizona (6/25/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The Obama administration today announced that it will suspend the 287(g) program for all Arizona jurisdictions, a program that allows state and local governments...more

Smith on Arizona Supreme Court Ruling (6/25/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Supreme Court today upheld one of the four provisions challenged in the Arizona's immigration law (S.B. 1070). Specifically, the Court ruled that Arizona's local law enforcement can ask for proof of residency if they have reasonable suspicion the person is an illegal immigrant...more

Smith Demands Answers on Administration's Amnesty (6/20/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today sent two letters to the Obama administration demanding information on the President's unprecedented...more

Committee Approves FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization (6/19/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee today approved legislation to reauthorize provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a law that governs the surveillance of foreign terrorists and spies. The FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 (H.R. 5949) ...more

Smith: Administrative DREAM Act Ignores Rule of Law (6/15/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security today announced that it will stop deporting and begin giving work permits to illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children...more

Smith: Leakers Should Face Jail Time (6/8/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) responded to the announcement that Attorney General Eric Holder has appointed two federal prosecutors to investigate recent leaks of highly classified national security information...more

Smith: Confidence in DOJ Lacking (6/7/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) grilled Attorney General Eric Holder at a hearing today in Washington, D.C. about whether White House officials were aware of ATF's Operation Fast & Furious...more

Smith: Dems Place Partisan Posturing Above Victims of Violence (5/16/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives will today vote on a bill to reauthorize for five years the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization of 2012 (H.R. 4970) ensures that federal resources authorized by VAWA go directly to organizations and programs that ...more

Committee Approves Bill to Combat Violence Against Women(5/8/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee today approved a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) for five years. The Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization of 2012....more

Chairman Smith Releases Report on DOJ's Disregard of the Constitution (4/30/2012)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today implemented several changes to weaken Secure Communities, a program that keeps our neighborhoods safe by identifying illegal and criminal immigrants in police custody who have been arrested and fingerprinted. ...more

Obama Administration Weakens Secure Communities (4/27/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Lamar Smith (TX-21) today released a report on the U.S. Justice Department's disregard of the Constitution and rule of law. As Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee...more

House Republicans Announce VAWA Reauthorization (4/25/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Republicans today announced that they will introduce a five-year reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) this week...more

Thousands Benefit from Obama's Backdoor Amnesty (4/25/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Officials at U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently announced that thousands of illegal immigrants have been identified as eligible to benefit from the Obama...more

Smith: Arizona Law Should Be Upheld (4/24/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday is scheduled to hear arguments in Arizona v. United States, the...more

Bipartisan Bill Helps Fight Tax Return Identity Theft (4/17/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) today introduced legislation to help stop the growing...more

Smith: President is Bending Long Established Immigration Laws(3/30/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Obama administration officials at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced their plan to move forward with the rulemaking process...more

Obama Administration Expands Backdoor Amnesty (3/29/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) today announced its plans to expand backdoor amnesty. Beginning in late April...more

Bill Could Have Prevented At Least Eight Deaths (3/27/2012)
Washington, D.C. – According to a press report, a criminal immigrant from Vietnam who was ordered deported by an immigration judge six years ago for two convicted felonies was released...more

Smith Statement on Two-Year Anniversary of Obamacare(3/22/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Tomorrow marks the two-year anniversary of the enactment of the President's health care law, which includes an individual mandate requiring all Americans...more

Smith Applauds Senate Approval of STOCK Act (3/22/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today approved S. 2038, the House-passed version of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, which clarifies that members...more

House Repeals Another Obamacare Provision (3/22/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives today approved legislation to repeal part of Obamacare and implement medical liability reforms to reduce frivolous lawsuits that drive up the cost of health care. The House voted 223-181 to pass H.R. 5, the Protecting Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act...more

ICE Intentionally Releases Alleged Child Rapist (3/22/2012)
Washington, D.C. – After a recent press report, the House Judiciary Committee has learned that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last September deliberately released...more

Statement of Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith Opening Statement on H.R. 5, the PATH Act (3/21/2012)
Chairman Smith: America's medical liability system is broken and in desperate need of reform. Frivolous lawsuits drive physicians out of the practice of medicine...more

Committee Approves Bill to Freeze Job-Killing Regulations(3/20/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee today approved a bill to provide immediate relief to small businesses...more

House Passes Investor Visa Legislation for Israel (3/19/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives today passed a bipartisan bill (H.R. 3992) to add Israel to the list...more

Smith: Don't Mess With Texas Voter ID Law (3/12/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today criticized the Obama administration’s decision to challenge Texas’ voter ID law...more

Smith and Grassley to DOJ and DHS: Ninth Circuit Ignores Rule of Law (3/1/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-Iowa)...more

Americans Overwhelmingly Support E-Verify (2/29/2012)
Washington, D.C. – A new Pulse Opinion Research poll again confirms that the American people from all political affiliations and races overwhelmingly support the use of E-Verify...more

Smith: Deportation Manual a Hospitality Guideline for Illegal Immigrants (2/28/2012)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently released over 400 pages of new Performance Based National Detention Standards that dramatically...more

Committee Approves Investor Visa Legislation for Israel(2/28/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee today approved a bipartisan bill (H.R. 3992) to add Israel to the list of countries eligible for E-2 visas. These visas allow foreign investors...more

Smith: Backdoor Amnesty Data Just the Beginning (2/24/2012)
Washington, D.C. – According to a report by the Syracuse University Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, the number of deportation proceedings initiated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ...more

Smith: Terrorists Continue to Exploit Immigration Loopholes(2/17/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police today arrested a Moroccan man in Washington, D.C. after an investigation into an alleged plot to carry out a suicide attack on the Capitol...more

Smith: Ninth Circuit Uses Prosecutorial Discretion to Excuse Judicial Activism (2/7/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday put five deportation cases on hold and asked the government ...more

Smith Criticizes Appointment of Public Advocate for Illegal Immigrants (2/7/2012)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today announced the appointment of a public advocate to handle complaints and questions...more

Smith Applauds E-Verify Expansion (2/3/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today praised the decision to expand the E-Verify Self-Check system to every state and territory in the U.S...more

Smith Presses for Interviews with Senior DOJ Staff re: Fast and Furious (1/31/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today pressed the Justice Department to make senior officials available for interviews with the Committee regarding the Department's knowledge of ATF's Operation Fast and Furious...more

Smith Presses DOJ for Recess Appointments Documents(1/24/2012)
Washington, D.C. – According to a press report, an immigrant from Haiti who was ordered deported by an immigration judge...more

Smith: Dangerous Criminal Immigrants Deserve No Favors from U.S. (1/23/2012)
Washington, D.C. – According to a press report, an immigrant from Haiti who was ordered deported by an immigration judge...more

Judiciary Committee to Hold Hearing on Recess Appointments(1/23/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today announced that the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on February 15 to examine questions regarding the constitutionality...more

Statement from Chairman Smith on Senate Delay of Vote on PROTECT IP Act (1/20/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today issued the following statement in response to the Senate decision to postpone consideration of legislation to help combat online piracy...more

Smith on Pilot Program Results: Backdoor Amnesty Only Works for Illegal Immigrants (1/19/2012)
Washington, D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today released preliminary data on the administrative amnesty pilot programs in Baltimore and Denver which shows thousands of illegal immigrants who are deportable can remain in the United States and apply for work authorization...more

OPEN Act Increases Bureaucracy, Won't Stop IP Theft (1/19/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) released the following statement on the Wyden-Issa OPEN Act. ...more

Smith to Remove DNS Blocking from SOPA (1/13/2012)
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today said he plans to remove a provision in the Stop Online Piracy Act (H.R. 3261) that requires Internet Service Providers to block access to certain foreign websites...more

Smith: President Obama Bending Long Established Rules (1/6/2012)
Washington, D.C. – Obama administration officials at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today outlined their plan to allow illegal immigrant spouses and children with U.S. citizen...more

Smith: Administration Gives Stamp of Approval to Visa Fraud(1/3/2012)
Washington, D.C. – According to press reports about a September 2011 Inspector General report, Obama administration officials at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are pressuring immigration service officers to approve immigrants' visa applications...more