Misplaced Pages

Senate Judiciary Committee

Standing committee
Active United States Senate 118th Congress
History
Formed	December 10, 1816
Leadership
Chair	Dick Durbin (D) Since February 3, 2021
Ranking member	Lindsey Graham (R) Since January 3, 2023
Structure
Seats	21 members
Political parties	Majority (11)   Democratic (11) Minority (10)   Republican (10)
Jurisdiction
Policy areas	Federal judiciary, civil procedure, criminal procedure, civil liberties, copyrights, patents, trademarks, naturalization, constitutional amendments, congressional apportionment, state and territorial boundary lines
Oversight authority	Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, federal judicial nominations
House counterpart	House Committee on the Judiciary
Meeting place
226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.
Website
judiciary.senate.gov
Rules
Rule XXV.1.(m), Standing Rules of the Senate Rules of Procedure U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary

The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, informally known as the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of 21 U.S. senators whose role is to oversee the Department of Justice (DOJ), consider executive and judicial nominations, and review pending legislation.

In addition, the Standing Rules of the Senate confer jurisdiction to the Senate Judiciary Committee in certain areas, such as considering proposed constitutional amendments and legislation related to federal criminal law, human rights law, immigration, intellectual property, antitrust law, and internet privacy.

History

Established in 1816 as one of the original standing committees in the United States Senate, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary is one of the oldest and most influential committees in Congress. Its broad legislative jurisdiction has assured its primary role as a forum for the public discussion of social and constitutional issues. The committee is also responsible for oversight of key activities of the executive branch, and is responsible for the initial stages of the confirmation process of all judicial nominations for the federal judiciary.

Nominations

The committee considers presidential nominations for positions in the DOJ, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the State Justice Institute, and certain positions in the Department of Commerce and DHS. It is also in charge of holding hearings and investigating judicial nominations to the Supreme Court, the U.S. court of appeals, the U.S. district courts, and the Court of International Trade.

If a majority on the committee votes to advance a nomination, the nominee is reported favorably to the whole Senate, which can vote by simple majority to confirm the nominee.

Oversight

The Judiciary Committee's oversight of the DOJ includes all of the agencies under the DOJ's jurisdiction, such as the FBI. It also has oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Members, 118th Congress

(January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025)

Subcommittees

Chairs since 1816

Historical committee rosters

117th Congress

(January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023)

Subcommittees

116th Congress

(January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021)

Subcommittees

115th Congress

(January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019)

In January 2018, the Democratic minority had their number of seats increase from 9 to 10 upon the election of Doug Jones (D-AL), changing the 52–48 Republican majority to 51–49. On January 2, 2018, Al Franken, who had been a member of the committee, resigned from the Senate following accusations of sexual misconduct.

Subcommittees

114th Congress

(January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017)

Subcommittees

113th Congress

(January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015)

Subcommittees

112th Congress

(January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013)

Subcommittees

111th Congress

(January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011)

Subcommittees

See also

• United States House Committee on the Judiciary
• List of current United States Senate committees

References

1. U.S. Senate: Committee on the Judiciary -- Committee Membership List
2. ^ "Jurisdiction". United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
3. "Senate Committee on the Judiciary". GovTrack. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
4. "Guide to Senate Records: Chapter 13 Judiciary 1947-1968". National Archives. August 15, 2016. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
5. "History". United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
6. Elliott, Philip (January 26, 2022). "How Republicans Can Block Stephen Breyer's Replacement". Time. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
7. S.Res. 30 (118th Congress)
8. S.Res. 31 (118th Congress)
9. "Majority Leader Schumer Announces New Senate Democratic Committee Assignments". Senate Democrats. October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
10. When the Senate convened in January 2001 17 days before President George W. Bush was inaugurated, there was a 50–50 split between Democrats and Republicans with Vice President Al Gore as a tiebreaking vote.
11. In June 2001, Republican Jim Jeffords declared himself an Independent and caucused with the Democrats, giving the Democrats majority control.
12. "Members". United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
13. "Members". United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
14. John J. Merlino (June 28, 2018). "Judiciary". The Senate of the United States Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress (PDF) (Report). Under the Direction of Julie E. Adams, Secretary of the Senate. Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office. pp. 20–21. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
15. John J. Merlino (April 4, 2017). "Judiciary". The Senate of the United States Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress (PDF) (Report). Under the Direction of Julie E. Adams, Secretary of the Senate. Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office. pp. 20–21. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
16. John J. Merlino (May 13, 2015). "Judiciary". The Senate of the United States Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the One Hundred Fourteenth Congress (PDF) (Report). Under the Direction of Julie E. Adams, Secretary of the Senate. Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office. pp. 20–21. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
17. Kathleen Alvarez Tritak (April 10, 2014). "Judiciary". The Senate of the United States Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the One Hundred Thirteenth Congress (PDF) (Report). Under the Direction of Nancy Erickson, Secretary of the Senate. Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office. pp. 20–21. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
18. Kathleen Alvarez Tritak (April 8, 2011). "Judiciary". The Senate of the United States Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the One Hundred Twelfth Congress (PDF) (Report). Under the Direction of Nancy Erickson, Secretary of the Senate. Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office. pp. 20–21. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
19. Kathleen Alvarez Tritak (2010). "Judiciary". The Senate of the United States Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the One Hundred Eleventh Congress (PDF) (Report). Under the Direction of Nancy Erickson, Secretary of the Senate. Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office. pp. 22–23. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
20. Kathleen Alvarez Tritak (October 1, 2010). "Judiciary". The Senate of the United States Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the One Hundred Eleventh Congress (PDF) (Report). Under the Direction of Nancy Erickson, Secretary of the Senate. Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office. pp. 22–23. Retrieved February 13, 2021.

External links

• United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary Official Website (Archive)
• Senate Judiciary Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.

• Committees of the United States Senate
• Law of the United States
• 1816 establishments in Washington, D.C.
• Parliamentary committees on Justice