Report Outlines Committee’s Progress in the 114th Congress

WASHINGTON – Since returning from the state work period in September, the Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Chuck Grassley, racked up several legislative and judicial accomplishments while continuing its work to improve government transparency and oversight. The committee’s latest Progress Report outlines its accomplishments in the 114th Congress.

Bills to hold sponsors of terrorism accountable and assist survivors of sexual violence, both receiving final congressional approval this week, are the latest Judiciary Committee bills to become law.  The Judiciary Committee also cleared three bipartisan bills in September, including Grassley’s bill to crack down on crimes targeting senior citizens.

Under Grassley’s leadership, the committee advanced to the full Senate three nominees to federal judgeships and two nominees to the U.S. Sentencing Commission.  The committee also held a hearing for five more judicial nominees. 

The Judiciary Committee held hearings on the impact of mergers in the agriculture industry, the Obama Administration’s plan to relinquish key stewardship of the Internet and President Obama’s goal to ramp up refugee resettlement in 2017.

Grassley also launched inquiries into the Department of Homeland Security’s failure to update fingerprint records, which resulted in citizenship for 858 people who should have been deported and internal documents indicating the department is rushing to approve citizenship applications ahead of the election.  The Judiciary Committee also sought information regarding Mylan Pharmaceuticals’ misclassification of EpiPin, including any role for the Justice Department and state attorneys general to join the effort. Grassley also pressed for greater transparency of records related to the Judiciary Committee’s ongoing investigation into the email arrangements at the State Department and the U.S. government’s payment to Iran in exchange for U.S. hostages.

This Progress Report details the Judiciary Committee’s activities under Grassley’s leadership, including legislative accomplishments, work to report judicial nominees and efforts to improve government accountability.

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