The featured programs for the Senate Committee - Courts & Judicial Process type. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/browse?browse=format&id=52 en-US Copyright 2013, National Cable Satellite Corporation info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Sun, 19 May 2013 00:56:17 GMT Senate Committee - Courts & Judicial Process The Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill on gun trafficking largely along party lines. The legislation would toughen penalties for those who buy guns for people who cannot legally own them. The Committee also began debate on an assault weapons ban bill offered by California Senator Dianne Feinstein. That measure was not expected to get any support from committee Republicans. Other measures scheduled for consideration included bills on background checks and school safety. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/311364-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/311364-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Attorney General Eric Holder testified at a Justice Department oversight hearing. Both Republicans and Democrats pressed Mr. Holder on a Justice Department memo regarding the use of drone strikes against American citizens suspected of being terrorists. He also answered questions about his written response to a March 4 letter from Senator Rand Paul. Senator Paul asked if the Obama administration believed the president has the legal authority to use drone strikes against American citizens on U.S. soil. Mr. Holder in the letter replied that in extreme circumstances such as the attack on Pearl Harbor or the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the president could conceivably have no other option but to authorize the use of drones. Other topics included gun violence reduction and assault weapons, and the impact of sequestration budget cuts on national security. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/311311-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/311311-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Advocates for and against stricter gun-control laws testified at a hearing on gun violence prevention. The hearing was held in part in reaction to the December 2012 elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head by a gunman at a 2011 event in her district, gave a brief statement at the opening of the hearing, urging Congress to come to a solution to prevent gun violence. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/310644-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/310644-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Secretary Janet Napolitano, FBI Associate Deputy Director Kevin Perkins, and National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) Director Matthew Olsen testified in an annual hearing on security threats and U.S. response. The three areas of concern they identified were commercial aviation, domestic and international violent extremism, and cyber terrorism. Matthew Olsen called the U.S. consulate attack in Libya that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans a terror attack, but an opportunistic attack rather than one of advanced planning. He cautioned that the investigation was ongoing. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/308260-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/308260-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Retired Justice Sandra Day O Connor testified on her efforts to educate young people in civics through her iCivics organization. Some of the other issues she addressed were state election of judges, public confidence in the judiciary, and cameras in the Supreme Court. When asked by Senator Leahy about displeasure among conservatives on Chief Justice Roberts' decision to uphold the health care law, she said the criticism was "unfortunate" and demonstrates citizens' "lack of understanding" about the judiciary. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/307242-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/307242-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Eric Holder testified at an oversight hearing. Much of the hearing focused on national security leaks and the government's "Fast and Furious" operation aimed at arresting members of drug cartels. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) said the attorney general should resign over his handling of the operation and his decision to appoint U.S. attorneys to investigate the alleged leaks. Attorney General Holder said he wanted to sit down with congressional investigators and find a way to avoid a contempt citation related to "Fast and Furious." http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/306537-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/306537-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Current and former Arizona state officials testified on the constitutionality of their state's immigration law and its impact on the state's Latino community. Following the end of the hearing, one of the witnesses, Russell Pearce, who was one of the chief author's of the law, spoke with reporters. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/305622-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/305622-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Witnesses testified on racial profiling and state immigration laws in Alabama and Arizona, relations between law enforcement and African-Americans, as well as anti-terrorism efforts that target American Muslims. One of the witnesses was Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), who had introduced legislation called the 'End Racial Profiling Act'. Witnesses also talked about closing loopholes in the U.S. Department of Justice's racial profiling guidance, and the Justice Department Civil Rights Division's enforcement of federal civil rights laws to prevent profiling by state and local law enforcement agencies. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/305489-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/305489-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Witnesses testified about proposed legislation to require the Supreme Court to permit video recording and broadcast of all open court proceedings. The bill provided that justices could disallow cameras in the courtroom when questions of due process were at issue. Senators voted 11-7 to allow the legislation to move forward. Senators Grassley and Cornyn voted with Democrats to allow cameras, while Senator Feinstein voted with Republicans to not force the Court to allow cameras. In her remarks she said, "I vote no, because the Court does not want this. We should not tell the Supreme Court what to do." http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/304338-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/304338-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT The Senate Committee on the Judiciary heard testimony on bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Durbin and Grassley mandating the Supreme Court televise its open proceedings. Proponents of the bill said it would enhance accountability, transparency and public understanding of the judicial system. Opponents said it would only tempt attorneys to play to the cameras, allow video clips to be taken out of context, and possibly mislead the public. Following the hearing, Subcommittee Chair Klobuchar spoke to reporters. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/303028-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/303028-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Attorney General Eric Holder testified at an oversight hearing. In his opening statement Mr. Holder addressed the controversy surrounding the Fast and Furious Operation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives program that allowed guns to "walk" across the U.S. border into Mexico in an effort to locate major weapons traffickers, rather than catching the low-level buyers. He said the program was "flawed," both in its conception and execution, "should have never happened," and would not happen again. He also said his department never knowingly provided false information to Congress about it. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/302569-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/302569-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testified at a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing focusing on U.S. immigration policy. Among the topics she addressed were a planned review of deportation policies, transportation and airport security, border security, and cyber security. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/302173-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/302173-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Justices Breyer and Scalia testified on the role of judges in the American republic and democratic systems within the U.S. Question topics included the politicization of the judicial confirmation process, cameras in the courtroom, the role of juries, and the 14th Amendment. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/301909-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/301909-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT FBI Director Robert Mueller testified about bureau operations and programs, including mortgage fraud investigations, the terror alert system, counterterrorism operations, health care and Medicare fraud, and the results of an inspector general's report. In his testimony he addressed recent news media reports about persistent feuding between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, despite repeated efforts by the Justice Department to settle the conflict. The reports found the conflicts have led agents to race each other to crime scenes, withhold information from each other, and refuse to train together. He also talked about efforts to resolve the problems. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/288949-1 info@c-spanarchives.org (National Cable Satellite Corporation) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/288949-1 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT