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Week Ending February 15, 2008

H.RES.980 Authorizing the Committee on the Judiciary to initiate or intervene in judicial proceedings to enforce certain subpoenas.

In the wake of refusals by various White House officials to respond to House Judiciary Committee subpoenas, the resolution authorizes the Chairman of the Committee to initiate or intervene in judicial proceedings in any Federal court on behalf of the Committee.

Under the resolution the Chairman may seek declaratory judgments affirming the duty of any individual to comply with any subpoena that is subject to HRES 979. HRES 979 requires the Speaker of the House to certify to the Justice Department that Former White House counsel Harriet Miers and Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten did not respond to Judiciary Committee subpoenas.

The Chairman can seek ancillary relief including injunctive relief. The Committee would be represented in court by the House Office of General Counsel

Sponsor:  Rep. John Conyers (D-MI-14^th)

Vote:

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

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Authorizing the Committee on the Judiciary to initiate or intervene in judicial proceedings to enforce certain subpoenas.

Resolved, That the Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to initiate or intervene in judicial proceedings in any Federal court of competent jurisdiction, on behalf of the Committee on the Judiciary, to seek declaratory judgments affirming the duty of any individual to comply with any subpoena that is a subject of House Resolution 979 issued to such individual by the Committee as part of its investigation into the firing of certain United States Attorneys and related matters, and to seek appropriate ancillary relief, including injunctive relief.

Sec. 2. The Committee on the Judiciary shall report as soon as practicable to the House with respect to any judicial proceedings which it initiates or in which it intervenes pursuant to this resolution.

Sec. 3. The Office of General Counsel of the House of Representatives shall, at the authorization of the Speaker, represent the Committee on the Judiciary in any litigation pursuant to this resolution. In giving that authorization, the Speaker shall consult with the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group established pursuant to clause 8 of Rule II.

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