United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary

The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary ( Senate Judiciary Committee of the United States) is a standing committee of the Senate of the United States.

Among other things, it leads through the parliamentary confirmation process through hearings of candidates for the post of federal judges. He questioned in particular candidates for seats on the Supreme Court, most recently nominated as a judge Elena Kagan.

The role of the Judicial Committee in Supreme Court nominations has become much more prominent in recent years due to the strong politicization of the Supreme Court and of the great media interest. Goods oral interviews of the nominees earlier rather uncommon and often carried confirming recommendations unanimously, the survey of judges candidates since the 1990s has become a lengthy and dramatic staged television spectacle. This in turn is used by the committee members often less for the actual survey of the nominees, but serves mainly - with long speeches for the television cameras - for the purpose of their own political profiling.

Members in the 113th Congress

The chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont held.

The members of the Democrats are:

For the Republicans, the following Senators on the Committee:

  • Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Ranking Minority Member
  • Orrin Hatch ( Utah)
  • Jeff Sessions (Alabama )
  • Lindsey Graham ( South Carolina)
  • John Cornyn (Texas )
  • Mike Lee ( Utah)
  • Ted Cruz ( Texas)
  • Jeff Flake (Arizona )

Former chairman of the Judiciary Committee

458624
de