From Martin Van Buren to Pat McCarran, for better or worse, the chairmanship of the U.S. Senate's Judiciary Committee has been a wellspring of power. The committee handles up to half the legislation submitted to the Senate, passes on all nominations to the federal courts (including the Supreme Court) and on all Justice Department positions requiring Senate confirmation. It has jurisdiction over all legislation on immigration and citizenship. It studies all amendments proposed to the U.S. Constitution. It handles civil rights matters. Last week, after the death of Chairman Harley Kilgore, the...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
