Crime and Federal Government Surveillance

The Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance is a specialized panel within the House Judiciary Committee that handles a narrow but critical slice of federal law. It has jurisdiction over the Federal Criminal Code, drug enforcement, sentencing, parole and pardons, internal and homeland security, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, prisons, and the use of surveillance tools by federal law enforcement. As a subcommittee, it conducts initial hearings and reviews legislation before matters can be reported to the full committee for consideration.

Chaired by Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona, with Ranking Member Lucy McBath of Georgia, the subcommittee brings together members from both parties to address some of the most consequential issues in federal criminal justice. The panel has held recent hearings on diverse topics including overcriminalization of federal offenses, organized retail crime, government fraud, artificial intelligence and criminal exploitation, drone-enabled crimes, and homeland security investigations. These hearings reflect the subcommittee's broad mandate to examine how federal law enforcement operates and how criminal statutes are applied.

The subcommittee has also advanced bipartisan legislation, including the Count the Crimes to Cut Act, which would require the Department of Justice to compile a comprehensive report of all federal criminal statutes and regulations. This reflects the panel's focus on examining whether federal criminal law has become overly complex and whether penalties align with the severity of offenses. By preparing the ground through hearings and legislative review, the subcommittee plays an essential role in shaping federal criminal justice policy.