Congressman Lamar Smith 21st district of Texas

In January of 2011, Congressman Smith was selected by his colleagues to serve as the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

For more information on the House Committee on the Judiciary, please go to: http://judiciary.house.gov/


Patent Reform

Strong patent laws are necessary to protect intellectual property and encourage creativity. The current patent system is plagued by legal gamesmanship that rewards lawsuit abuse over creativity.

In 2007, Congressman Smith cosponsored the Patent Reform Act, which has broad support in the business community and represents the most significant update to patent law since the 1952 Act was written. The bill passed the House in 2007.

The Patent Reform Act updates current law to better protect intellectual property, enhance patent quality and increase public confidence in the integrity of patents. Specifically, the bill helps individuals and companies obtain money for research, commercialize inventions, expand businesses and create new jobs.

On September 16, 2012, Congressman Smith's America Invents Act was signed into law by the President. The enactment of this bill is a victory for America’s innovators and job creators who rely on our patent system to develop new products and grow their businesses. The America Invents Act brings our patent system into the 21st century, reducing frivolous litigation while creating a more efficient process for the approval of patents.  These reforms will help the innovators and job creators of today launch the products and businesses of tomorrow.

Congressman Smith has made great strides in addressing the new patent issues created by ever-changing, complex business models in the high-tech and financial services industries. He is a leading voice in Washington, lobbying for Patent Reform, and remaining committed to protecting the ideas of individuals and businesses that expand the American economy. Congressman Smith has led the House efforts on patent reform for more than six years.

Immigration

Immigration is a sensitive and complex issue. Legal immigration has had a positive impact on the United States and we should continue to welcome immigrants who respect our laws. However, no nation can survive with unrestricted amounts of immigration and lax border security. Illegal immigration hurts American citizens and legal immigrants who end up paying taxes that go toward health care, education, welfare, and other social costs associated with illegal immigration.

Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have made immigration reform one of my top priorities. I have repeatedly pushed for enforcement of our current immigration laws and have consistently supported legislation aimed at reducing illegal immigration, strengthening our borders, holding individuals who employ illegal immigrants accountable for breaking the law, and reducing the incentives that attract illegal immigrants to the United States.

On September 21, 2011, the House Judiciary Committee approved Congressman Smith’s Legal Workforce Act (H.R. 2885), a bill that could open up millions of jobs for unemployed American workers by requiring all U.S. employers to use E-Verify. The bill was reported favorably to the House floor by a vote of 22-13.

Regulations:

According to the Small Business Administration, regulations cost the American economy $1.75 trillion annually.  We need to encourage businesses to expand, not tie them up with red tape.

In 2011, Congressman Smith sponsored three bills to reduce regulations and red tape for businesses.  The REINS Act, Regulatory Accountability Act, and Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act were all approved by the House of Representatives last year.  The bills place meaningful limits on federal agency regulations, including regulations from the EPA that harm small businesses and job growth.  Each of the bills lowers the cost of regulations and provides additional oversight to the regulatory process. For example, the REINS Act (HR 10) requires Congress to take an up-or-down vote on government regulations with an economic impact of at least $100 million before they can be imposed on the American people and businesses.  In 2012, Congressman Smith cosponsored the Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act, a bill to place a moratorium on all major federal regulations.

We need to encourage businesses to expand, not tie them up with red tape. If we lift the burden on small businesses, we can free them up to spend more, invest more, and produce more in order to create more jobs for American workers.

Crime
 
Families in many communities across the nation are affected by rising crime rates. Whether its violent gang members on the streets or child predators, more must be done to keep our families, communities and children safe from crime.

Congressman Smith supports tough penalties to keep dangerous criminals off our streets and to deter crime by would-be offenders. Congress must provide effective tools to our state and local law enforcement officials, who are our first defense against violent gangs, drug traffickers, and child predators.

Congress also must ensure that federal criminal penalties are imposed consistently so that similarly-situated offenders are treated in the same manner.

Congressman Smith also believes that protecting the rights of crime victims who play a key role in bringing offenders to justice must be a priority for lawmakers.