United States House Committee on the Judiciary

House Judiciary Committee
Standing committee
Active; ; United States House of Representatives; 118th Congress
History
Formed	June 6, 1813
Leadership
Chair	Jim Jordan (R) ; Since January 7, 2023
Ranking member	Jerry Nadler (D) ; Since January 7, 2023
Vice chair	Vacant
Structure
Seats	44
Political parties	Majority (25) Republican (25); Minority (19) Democratic (19);
Jurisdiction
Senate counterpart	Senate Committee on the Judiciary

The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, federal administrative agencies, and federal law enforcement entities. The Judiciary Committee is often involved in the impeachment process against federal officials. Because of the legal nature of its oversight, committee members usually have a legal background, but this is not required.

In the 118th Congress, the chairman of the committee is Republican Jim Jordan of Ohio, and the ranking minority member is Democrat Jerry Nadler of New York.

History

The committee was created on June 3, 1813,^[1] for the purpose of considering legislation related to the judicial system. This committee approved impeachment resolutions/articles of impeachment against presidents in four instances: against Andrew Johnson (in 1867), Richard Nixon (in 1974), Bill Clinton (in 1998), and Donald Trump (in 2019).

In the 115th Congress, the chairman of the committee was Republican Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, and the ranking minority member was initially Democrat John Conyers of Michigan. On November 26, 2017, Conyers stepped down from his position as ranking member, while he faced an ethics investigation.^[2] On November 28, 2017, Jerrold Nadler of New York was named as acting ranking member.

In the 116th Congress, the House flipped from Republican to Democratic control. Doug Collins, a Republican from Georgia's 9th congressional district, became ranking member and served from 2019 to 2020. In early 2020, Collins stepped down from his leadership position when he became a candidate in the 2020 special election held to replace retiring U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson. Under House Republican rules, members must relinquish leadership positions if they launch a bid for another office.^[3] Collins was succeeded as ranking member by Jordan, who represents Ohio's 4th congressional district, but who has never taken a bar examination or practiced law.

Predecessor committees

Claims: Functions merged in 1946
Immigration and Naturalization: Functions merged in 1946
Internal Security: Functions merged in 1975
- Un-American Activities: Functions merged into Internal Security in 1969
Patents: Functions merged in 1946
Revision of Laws: Functions merged in 1946
War Claims: Functions merged in 1946

Members, 118th Congress

Majority	Minority
Jim Jordan, Ohio, Chair Darrell Issa, California Ken Buck, Colorado Matt Gaetz, Florida Mike Johnson, Louisiana (until October 25, 2023) Andy Biggs, Arizona Tom McClintock, California Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin Thomas Massie, Kentucky Chip Roy, Texas Dan Bishop, North Carolina Victoria Spartz, Indiana Scott L. Fitzgerald, Wisconsin Cliff Bentz, Oregon Ben Cline, Virginia Lance Gooden, Texas Jeff Van Drew, New Jersey Troy Nehls, Texas Barry Moore, Alabama Kevin Kiley, California Harriet Hageman, Wyoming Nathaniel Moran, Texas Laurel Lee, Florida Wesley Hunt, Texas Russell Fry, South Carolina Kelly Armstrong, North Dakota (from December 5, 2023)	Jerry Nadler, New York, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas (until July 19, 2024) Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Adam Schiff, California David Cicilline, Rhode Island (until May 31, 2023) Eric Swalwell, California Ted Lieu, California Pramila Jayapal, Washington Lou Correa, California Mary Gay Scanlon, Pennsylvania Joe Neguse, Colorado Lucy McBath, Georgia Madeleine Dean, Pennsylvania Veronica Escobar, Texas Deborah K. Ross, North Carolina Cori Bush, Missouri Glenn Ivey, Maryland Becca Balint, Vermont (from June 13, 2023) Chuy García, Illinois (from September 10, 2024)

Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 14 (Chair), H.Res. 15 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 70 (R), H.Res. 71 (D), H.Res. 502 (D), H.Res. 908 (R), H.Res. 1431 (García)

Subcommittees

Subcommittee	Chair^[4]	Ranking Member^[5]
Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust	Thomas Massie (R-KY)	David Cicilline (D-RI) (until 5/31/23) Lou Correa (D-CA) (from 5/31/23)
The Constitution and Limited Government	Mike Johnson (R-LA) (until 10/25/23) Chip Roy (R-TX) (from 10/26/23)	Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA)
Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet	Darrell Issa (R-CA)	Hank Johnson (D-GA)
Crime and Federal Government Surveillance	Andy Biggs (R-AZ)	Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) (until 7/19/24)
Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement	Tom McClintock (R-CA)	Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)
Responsiveness and Accountability to Oversight	Ben Cline (R-VA)	Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
Weaponization of the Federal Government (Select)	Jim Jordan (R-OH)	Stacey Plaskett (D-VI)

List of chairs

Chairman	Party	State	Years
Charles J. Ingersoll	Democratic-Republican	Pennsylvania	1813 – 1815
Hugh Nelson	Democratic-Republican	Virginia	1815 – 1819
John Sergeant	Democratic-Republican	Pennsylvania	1819 – 1822
Hugh Nelson	Democratic-Republican	Virginia	1822 – 1823
Daniel Webster	Federalist	Massachusetts	1823 – 1827
Philip P. Barbour	Democratic	Virginia	1827 – 1829
James Buchanan	Democratic	Pennsylvania	1829 – 1831
Warren R. Davis	Democratic	South Carolina	1831 – 1832
John Bell	Democratic	Tennessee	1832 – 1834
Thomas F. Foster	Whig	Georgia	1834 – 1835
Samuel Beardsley	Democratic	New York	1835 – 1836
Francis Thomas	Democratic	Maryland	1836 – 1839
John Sergeant	Whig	Pennsylvania	1839 – 1841
Daniel D. Barnard	Whig	New York	1841 – 1843
William Wilkins	Democratic	Pennsylvania	1843 – 1844
Romulus M. Saunders	Democratic	North Carolina	1844 – 1845
George O. Rathbun	Democratic	New York	1845 – 1847
Joseph R. Ingersoll	Whig	Pennsylvania	1847 – 1849
James Thompson	Democratic	Pennsylvania	1849 – 1851
James X. McLanahan	Democratic	Pennsylvania	1851 – 1853
Frederick P. Stanton	Democratic	Tennessee	1853 – 1855
George A. Simmons	Whig & Republican	New York	1855 – 1857
George S. Houston	Democratic	Alabama	1857 – 1859
John Hickman	Republican	Pennsylvania	1859 – 1863
James F. Wilson	Republican	Iowa	1863 – 1869
John A. Bingham	Republican	Ohio	1869 – 1873
Benjamin F. Butler	Republican	Massachusetts	1873 – 1875
James P. Knott	Democratic	Kentucky	1875 – 1881
Thomas Brackett Reed	Republican	Maine	1881 – 1883
John R. Tucker	Democratic	Virginia	1883 – 1887
David B. Culberson	Democratic	Texas	1887 – 1889
Ezra B. Taylor	Republican	Ohio	1889 – 1891
David B. Culberson	Democratic	Texas	1891 – 1895
David B. Henderson	Republican	Iowa	1895 – 1899
George W. Ray	Republican	New York	1899 – 1903
John J. Jenkins	Republican	Wisconsin	1903 – 1909
Richard W. Parker	Republican	New Jersey	1909 – 1911
Henry De Lamar Clayton	Democratic	Alabama	1911 – 1914
Edwin Y. Webb	Democratic	North Carolina	1914 – 1919
Andrew J. Volstead	Republican	Minnesota	1919 – 1923
George S. Graham	Republican	Pennsylvania	1923 – 1931
Hatton W. Sumners	Democratic	Texas	1931 – 1947
Earl C. Michener	Republican	Michigan	1947 – 1949
Emanuel Celler	Democratic	New York	1949 – 1953
Chauncey W. Reed	Republican	Illinois	1953 – 1955
Emanuel Celler	Democratic	New York	1955 – 1973
Peter W. Rodino Jr.	Democratic	New Jersey	1973 – 1989
Jack Brooks	Democratic	Texas	1989 – 1995
Henry Hyde	Republican	Illinois	1995 – 2001
Jim Sensenbrenner	Republican	Wisconsin	2001 – 2007
John Conyers	Democratic	Michigan	2007 – 2011
Lamar Smith	Republican	Texas	2011 – 2013
Bob Goodlatte	Republican	Virginia	2013 – 2019
Jerrold Nadler	Democratic	New York	2019 – 2023
Jim Jordan	Republican	Ohio	2023 – present

Historical membership rosters

116th Congress

Majority	Minority
Jerry Nadler, New York, Chair Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Ted Deutch, Florida Karen Bass, California Cedric Richmond, Louisiana Hakeem Jeffries, New York David Cicilline, Rhode Island Eric Swalwell, California Ted Lieu, California Jamie Raskin, Maryland Pramila Jayapal, Washington Val Demings, Florida Lou Correa, California Mary Gay Scanlon, Pennsylvania, Vice Chair Sylvia Garcia, Texas Joe Neguse, Colorado Lucy McBath, Georgia Greg Stanton, Arizona Madeleine Dean, Pennsylvania Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Florida Veronica Escobar, Texas	Jim Jordan, Ohio, Ranking Member (since March 20, 2020) Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin Steve Chabot, Ohio Louie Gohmert, Texas Doug Collins, Georgia, Ranking Member (until March 12, 2020) Ken Buck, Colorado Martha Roby, Alabama Matt Gaetz, Florida Mike Johnson, Louisiana Andy Biggs, Arizona Tom McClintock, California Debbie Lesko, Arizona Guy Reschenthaler, Pennsylvania Ben Cline, Virginia Kelly Armstrong, North Dakota Greg Steube, Florida Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin (since July 1, 2020)

Sources: H.Res. 24 (Chair), H.Res. 25 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 46 (D), H.Res. 68 (R), H.Res. 903 (R), H.Res. 1037 (R)

Subcommittees

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member^[6]
Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law	David Cicilline (D-RI)	Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI)
The Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties	Steve Cohen (D-TN)	Mike Johnson (R-LA)
Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet	Hank Johnson (D-GA)	Martha Roby (R-AL)
Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security	Karen Bass (D-CA)	John Ratcliffe (R-TX)
Immigration and Citizenship	Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)	Ken Buck (R-CO)

115th Congress

Majority	Minority
Bob Goodlatte, Virginia, Chair Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin Lamar S. Smith, Texas Steve Chabot, Ohio Darrell Issa, California Steve King, Iowa Louie Gohmert, Texas Jim Jordan, Ohio Ted Poe, Texas Tom Marino, Pennsylvania Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Raúl Labrador, Idaho Doug Collins, Georgia Ron DeSantis, Florida Ken Buck, Colorado John Ratcliffe, Texas Martha Roby, Alabama Matt Gaetz, Florida Mike Johnson, Louisiana Andy Biggs, Arizona John Rutherford, Florida Karen Handel, Georgia Keith Rothfus, Pennsylvania	Jerrold Nadler, New York, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Ted Deutch, Florida Luis Gutiérrez, Illinois Karen Bass, California Cedric Richmond, Louisiana Hakeem Jeffries, New York David Cicilline, Rhode Island Eric Swalwell, California Ted Lieu, California Jamie Raskin, Maryland, Vice Ranking Member Pramila Jayapal, Washington Brad Schneider, Illinois Val Demings, Florida

Sources: H.Res. 6 (Chair), H.Res. 45 (D), H.Res. 51 (R) and H.Res. 95 (D)

114th Congress

Majority	Minority
Bob Goodlatte, Virginia, Chair (113th) Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin Lamar S. Smith, Texas Steve Chabot, Ohio Darrell Issa, California Randy Forbes, Virginia Steve King, Iowa Trent Franks, Arizona Louie Gohmert, Texas Jim Jordan, Ohio Ted Poe, Texas Jason Chaffetz, Utah Tom Marino, Pennsylvania Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Mark Amodei, Nevada Raúl Labrador, Idaho Blake Farenthold, Texas Doug Collins, Georgia Ron DeSantis, Florida Mimi Walters, California Ken Buck, Colorado John Ratcliffe, Texas Dave Trott, Michigan Mike Bishop, Michigan	John Conyers, Michigan, Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler, New York Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico Judy Chu, California Ted Deutch, Florida Luis Gutierrez, Illinois Karen Bass, California Cedric Richmond, Louisiana Suzan DelBene, Washington Hakeem Jeffries, New York David Cicilline, Rhode Island Scott Peters, California

Sources:

Resolutions electing Republican members: H.Res. 6 (Chairs) and H.Res. 17 (R)^[7]
Resolutions electing Democratic members: H.Res. 7 (D) and H.Res. 22 (D)

112th Congress

Majority	Minority
Lamar S. Smith, Texas, Chair Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin Howard Coble, North Carolina Elton Gallegly, California Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Dan Lungren, California Steve Chabot, Ohio Darrell Issa, California Mike Pence, Indiana Randy Forbes, Virginia Steve King, Iowa Trent Franks, Arizona Louie Gohmert, Texas Jim Jordan, Ohio Ted Poe, Texas Jason Chaffetz, Utah Timothy Griffin, Arkansas Tom Marino, Pennsylvania Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Dennis A. Ross, Florida Sandy Adams, Florida Ben Quayle, Arizona Mark Amodei, Nevada	John Conyers, Michigan, Ranking Member Howard Berman, California Jerrold Nadler, New York Bobby Scott, Virginia Mel Watt, North Carolina Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Maxine Waters, California Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico Michael Quigley, Illinois Judy Chu, California Ted Deutch, Florida Linda Sánchez, California Jared Polis, Colorado

Sources:

Resolutions electing Republican members: H.Res. 6 (Chair), H.Res. 37 (Members)
Resolutions electing Democratic members H.Res. 7 (Ranking member), H.Res. 39 (Members)

111th Congress

Majority	Minority
John Conyers, Michigan, Chair Howard Berman, California Rick Boucher, Virginia Jerrold Nadler, New York Bobby Scott, Virginia Mel Watt, North Carolina Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Maxine Waters, California Bill Delahunt, Massachusetts Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico Michael Quigley, Illinois Judy Chu, California Ted Deutch, Florida Luis Gutierrez, Illinois Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Charles Gonzalez, Texas Anthony Weiner, New York Adam Schiff, California Linda Sánchez, California Daniel Maffei, New York Jared Polis, Colorado	Lamar S. Smith, Texas, Ranking Member Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin Howard Coble, North Carolina Elton Gallegly, California Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Dan Lungren, California Darrell Issa, California Randy Forbes, Virginia Steve King, Iowa Trent Franks, Arizona Louie Gohmert, Texas Jason Chaffetz, Utah Tom Rooney, Florida Gregg Harper, Mississippi

Task forces

Antitrust Task Force: 108th Congress

Chairman: Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI); Ranking member: John Conyers (D-MI)

The Antitrust Task Force during the 108th Congress existed from March 26, 2003, to September 26, 2003. All Judiciary Committee Members also served as members of the Task Force,^[8] and conducted hearings and investigations into consolidation of the Bell Telephone Companies.^[9]

Antitrust Task Force: 110th Congress

Chairman: John Conyers (D-MI); Ranking member: Steve Chabot (R-OH)

The Antitrust Task Force during the 110th Congress was established February 28, 2007, as a temporary subcommittee to examine the pending merger between XM Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio.^[10] The task force operated like any other subcommittee, except that it only has a six-month term. House Rules limit each full committee to just five subcommittees, and any task force, special subcommittee, or other subunit of a standing committee that is established for a cumulative period longer than six months in a Congress counts against that total.^[11] A longer term for the task force would cause the Judiciary Committee to exceed this limit.

Judicial Impeachment: 110th and 111th Congresses

Chairman: Adam Schiff (D-CA)^[12] Ranking member: Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)^[12]

Established in September 2008,^[13] the Judicial Task force on Judicial Impeachment was to look into charges against District Judge Thomas Porteous.^[13] The investigation was not completed by the end of the 110th Congress, and it was reestablished after the 111th Congress convened in January 2009.^[14] The responsibilities of the Task Force were expanded to include the case of Judge Samuel B. Kent,^[15] leading to hearings^[16] and his subsequent impeachment by the full House of Representatives.^[17] The Task force finally voted to impeach Porteous on January 21, 2010.

Projects

Administrative Law, Process and Procedure Project (2005–2006)

Hearings

The Use and Misuse of Presidential Clemency Power for Executive Branch Officials (hearing) (2007)
Equal Justice for Our Military Act of 2009, HR 569 (111th Congress) (2009). Congress holds a hearing to consider granting members of the U.S. Armed Forces access to the Supreme Court of the United States.

References

^ "The Creation of the Judiciary Committee | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives".
^ Wilkinson, Tracy (November 26, 2017). "Rep. John Conyers quits House committee post amid sexual harassment probe". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
^ Beavers, Olivia; Brufke, Juliegrace (February 6, 2020). "House Republicans move Jordan to Judiciary, Meadows to Oversight". The Hill. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
^ "Chairman Jim Jordan Announces Judiciary Subcommittee Leadership". House Judiciary Committee Republicans. January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
^ "Nadler Announces Judiciary Committee Democratic Subcommittee Members". U.S. House Judiciary Committee Democrats. January 31, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
^ "Collins Announces Ranking Members for House Judiciary Subcommittees". House Judiciary Committee. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
^ Bachus news release Dec. 19
^ "Judiciary Task Force on Antitrust". Archived from the original on May 14, 2007. Retrieved March 9, 2007.
^ House Antitrust Task Force, Antitrust Review.com
^ Anti-Trust Panel to Examine XM-Sirius Merger United States House Committee on the Judiciary Press Release, February 27, 2007
^ Rules of the House of Representatives, Rule X(b)(C), Page 12
^ ^a ^b "House Judiciary Committee Announces Retention of Alan Baron to Lead Inquiry into Possible Impeachment of Judge Porteous" (Press release). U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary. October 2, 2008. Archived from the original on June 25, 2009. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
^ ^a ^b "House panel moves toward impeaching a judge". Associated Press. September 18, 2008. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
^ Conyers, John Jr. (January 6, 2009). "H. Res. 15: Authorizing and directing the Committee on the Judiciary to inquire whether the House should impeach G. Thomas Porteous, a judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
^ Conyers, John Jr. (May 29, 2009). "H. Res. 424: Authorizing and directing the Committee on the Judiciary to inquire whether the House should impeach Samuel B. Kent, a judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
^ "Victims allege years of sexual misconduct by federal judge". CNN. June 3, 2009. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
^ Powell, Stewart (June 19, 2009). "U.S. House impeaches Kent". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved June 27, 2009. In action so rare it has been carried out only 14 times since 1803, the House on Friday impeached a federal judge — imprisoned U.S. District Court Judge Samuel B. Kent...

External links

Committee on the Judiciary website (Archive)
House Judiciary Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.
Congressional Directory including lists of past memberships
House Document No. 109-153, A History of the Committee on the Judiciary 1813–2006

[1] "The Creation of the Judiciary Committee | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives".

[2] Wilkinson, Tracy (November 26, 2017). "Rep. John Conyers quits House committee post amid sexual harassment probe". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved November 26, 2017.

[3] Beavers, Olivia; Brufke, Juliegrace (February 6, 2020). "House Republicans move Jordan to Judiciary, Meadows to Oversight". The Hill. Retrieved February 7, 2020.

[4] "Chairman Jim Jordan Announces Judiciary Subcommittee Leadership". House Judiciary Committee Republicans. January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.

[5] "Nadler Announces Judiciary Committee Democratic Subcommittee Members". U.S. House Judiciary Committee Democrats. January 31, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.

[6] "Collins Announces Ranking Members for House Judiciary Subcommittees". House Judiciary Committee. Retrieved January 26, 2019.

[7] Bachus news release Dec. 19

[8] "Judiciary Task Force on Antitrust". Archived from the original on May 14, 2007. Retrieved March 9, 2007.

[9] House Antitrust Task Force, Antitrust Review.com

[10] Anti-Trust Panel to Examine XM-Sirius Merger United States House Committee on the Judiciary Press Release, February 27, 2007

[11] Rules of the House of Representatives, Rule X(b)(C), Page 12

[judiciarypr-12] "House Judiciary Committee Announces Retention of Alan Baron to Lead Inquiry into Possible Impeachment of Judge Porteous" (Press release). U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary. October 2, 2008. Archived from the original on June 25, 2009. Retrieved June 27, 2009.

[ap-13] "House panel moves toward impeaching a judge". Associated Press. September 18, 2008. Retrieved June 27, 2009.

[porteous-14] Conyers, John Jr. (January 6, 2009). "H. Res. 15: Authorizing and directing the Committee on the Judiciary to inquire whether the House should impeach G. Thomas Porteous, a judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved June 27, 2009.

[kent-15] Conyers, John Jr. (May 29, 2009). "H. Res. 424: Authorizing and directing the Committee on the Judiciary to inquire whether the House should impeach Samuel B. Kent, a judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved June 27, 2009.

[cnn-16] "Victims allege years of sexual misconduct by federal judge". CNN. June 3, 2009. Retrieved June 27, 2009.

[impeach-17] Powell, Stewart (June 19, 2009). "U.S. House impeaches Kent". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved June 27, 2009. In action so rare it has been carried out only 14 times since 1803, the House on Friday impeached a federal judge — imprisoned U.S. District Court Judge Samuel B. Kent...

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