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The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary (informally Senate Judiciary Committee) is a standing committee of the United States Senate, the upper house of the United States Congress. The Judiciary Committee is charged with conducting hearings prior to the Senate votes on whether to confirm or not confirm prospective federal judges (including Supreme Court justices) nominated by the president. In recent years, this role has made the committee increasingly a point of contention, with numerous party-line votes and standoffs over which judges should be approved. The committee also has a broad jurisdiction over matters relating to federal criminal law.
The committee, along with the Committee on Finance and Committee on Foreign Relations committees, is one of the oldest in the Senate. It was initially created in 1816.
The Committee is chaired by Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont. The Ranking Minority Member is Republican Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.
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- ^ When the Senate convened in January 2001 17 days before President George W. Bush was inaugurated, there was a 50-50 split between Democrats and Republicans with Vice President Al Gore as a tiebreaking vote.
- ^ In June 2001, Republican Jim Jeffords declared himself an Independent and caucused with the Democrats, giving the Democrats majority control.
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