U.S. Marshals Need Authority, Resources To Investigate Sex Offenders, Says Sessions

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) tells fellow senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee that U.S. Marshals need the authority to subpoena third party documents that could lead to finding unregistered sex offenders and missing children. (0:15)

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Holder: Fast And Furious Should've Never Happened And Cannot Happen Again

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder tells members of the Senate Judiciary Committee that Fast and Furious is a program that should never have happened and ensured members that it will never happen again. Holder also argues that the effects of the flawed operation will be felt for years to come.(0:36)

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Senate Judiciary Committee Calls On Napolitano To Testify

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) comments on concerns he will raise Wednesday when Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee. (0:31)

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Mueller: FBI Did Not Abuse Power

FBI Director Robert Mueller rejects charges that his agency has abused its surveillance capabilities, but acknowledges that it did not handle national security letters in the proper way initially. (1:00)

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Mueller: FBI Has Adapted Since 9/11

FBI Director Robert Mueller testified on Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee during a hearing concerning the extension of his tenure through 2013. Mueller told the committee that the FBI has adapted since 9/11 to respond to terror threats, and has become a “threat-based, intelligence-led agency.” (0:47)

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Grassley Supports Mueller Extension, Cautious About Implications

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s top Republican, Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), says during a hearing on Wednesday that he supports extending FBI Director Robert Mueller’s tenure beyond the statuatory 10 years, but warns against bypassing an important law that prevents FBI directors from becoming too independent and powerful.  (1:19)

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Arizona Senator Asks Attorney General Why He Chose To Prosecute 9/11 Mastermind In Federal Court

Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) asks Attorney General Eric Holder during Senate Judiciary Committee hearing why he would choose to prosecute Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, in a federal court if Mohammed said he would plead guilty and ask for an execution in military court. The question is met with scattered applause from the hearing's audience. (0:21)
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Sheila E. Blasts Radio Stations For Not Compensating Artists

Grammy Award Winning artist Sheila E. says that when radio stations do not compensate artists it is "disrespectful". She says that she depends on radio, but that there is no partnership between artists and radio stations. (0:21)
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Proposed Legislation Will End Local Radio, Says Broadcast Radio Executive

According to Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation's Steve Newberry, who testified on behalf of the National Association of Broadcasters before the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that paying artists through the Performance Rights Act, legislation that would require radio stations to pay artists directly, would have devastating consequences for the radio industry.

“I believe that this proposed legislation will likely end local radio broadcasting as you have known it. I have never seen the economic pain that radio stations are experiencing,” said Newberry.(0:22)
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Sheila E. Chokes Up During Senate Judiciary Hearing

Grammy Award winning artist Sheila E. tearfully testified before the Senate Judiciary committee on the importance of passing the proposed Performance Rights Act, legislation that would require broadcast radio stations to directly pay the musicians they feature.

“I get emotional because I see what music does for…kids. Music is my life and it is not fair what is happening,” said Sheila E. (0:17)
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Feinstein Defends Sotomayor, Says Nominee Not An Activist Judge

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) defends Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor from her critics, saying that a "reserved" and "factual" judge is being inaccurately "characterized as being an activist." She says that Sotomayor has ruled alongside Republican judicial appointees a vast majority of the time. (0:58)
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Sessions Questions Sotomayor About Impartial Judgement

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says that he agrees with the statements on impartiality that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has made during her confirmation hearings, but he says that her record suggests that she believes a judge's personal experiences should impact his interpretation of the law. (0:48)
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Sotomayor Clarifies "Wise Latina Woman" Comment

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor says that life experiences will affect a judge's thinking, but that these experiences should be set aside to provide an impartial result based on the law. (0:52)
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Sotomayor Says Race And Gender Do Not Necessarily Affect Good Judgement

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor says that her comments regarding a "wise Latina woman" have been misunderstood. She says that she does not believe that any person is more capable of good judgment based on their race or gender. (0:42)
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Sen. Leahy: United States Capable Of Hosting Gitmo Detainees

In a hearing at the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chairman Patrick Leahy (D.Vt.) said that the United States has a long history of granting terrorists due process and that the country can do the same with Guantanamo Bay detainees (0:31)
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Thomas Perrelli accepts nomination to be Associate Attorney General

Thomas Perrelli says he is honored to be nominated for the position of Associate Attorney General, at the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Feb. 10, 2009. He states that he is aware of the challenges the position will bring. (00:24)
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Elena Kagan, first female nominee for solicitor general, accepts nomination

Elena Kagan expressing her honor at being nominated to the position of solicitor general at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Feb. 10, 2009. (00:21)
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Senate Judiciary Committee Looking Previous Administration

Coffee Brown, University of New Mexico, for Talk Radio News Service

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) told students at Georgetown University that the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he chairs, will be looking into irregularities during the Bush administration.
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Obama's Attorney General nominee fits criteria better than Alberto Gonzales

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says that whatever criteria Republicans used to approve of Alberto Gonzales, Obama Attorney General nominee Eric Holder, exceeds it (0:36)
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Durbin says companies must do their part on human rights prevention

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) thinks the burden of preventing human rights violations sometimes falls on private companies that choose to work abroad. (0:57)
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