Federal Law Enforcement

The Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement is a specialized division of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, established for the 119th Congress. As a subcommittee, it conducts initial hearings and reviews legislation within its jurisdiction before matters can advance to the full committee. The subcommittee does not report bills directly to the House floor—that authority rests with the parent Oversight Committee.

The subcommittee's jurisdiction covers homeland security, criminal justice, federal law and regulatory enforcement, and border security and immigration enforcement, with shared jurisdiction over immigration matters with the Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs. This specialized focus allows the subcommittee to conduct detailed oversight of federal law enforcement agencies and their enforcement practices.

Chairman Clay Higgins (R-LA) leads the subcommittee, with Ranking Member Summer L. Lee (D-PA) representing the minority. The subcommittee has 11 members total, with seven Republicans and four Democrats. Recent hearings have examined immigration enforcement coordination, unaccompanied migrant children at the border, and regulatory enforcement by agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency. The subcommittee has not had bills formally referred to it, as its primary role is conducting oversight investigations and holding hearings rather than advancing legislation.