Gun politics is defined in the United States by two primary opposing ideologies concerning the private ownership of firearms. Those who advocate for gun control support increasingly restrictive regulation of gun ownership; those who advocate for gun rights oppose increased restriction, or support the liberalization of gun ownership.

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The Gun Rights category has related posts on government agencies and departments and  committees and their Chairs.

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United States. It is equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.

The department is headed by the U.S. Attorney General, who is nominated by the president and confirmed by the US Senate and is a member of the Cabinet. The current attorney general is Merrick Garland, who was sworn in March 11, 2021.

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate (and largely discretionary) appellate jurisdiction over all federal and state court cases that involve a point of federal law, and original jurisdiction over a narrow range of cases, specifically “all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party”.

The Court holds the power of judicial review, the ability to invalidate a statute for violating a provision of the U.S. Constitution. It is also able to strike down presidential directives for violating either the Constitution or statutory law. However, it may act only within the context of a case in an area of law over which it has jurisdiction. The Court may decide cases having political overtones, but it has ruled that it does not have power to decide non-justiciable political questions.

Mission:  to oversee the Department of Justice (DOJ), consider executive and judicial nominations, as well as review pending legislation.

House counterpart: Committee on the Judiciary

Democratic Members (Minority):
Dick Durbin, Illinois – Ranking Member
Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island
Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota
Chris Coons, Delaware
Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
Cory Booker, New Jersey
Alex Padilla, California
Peter Welch, Vermont
Adam Schiff, California

Republican Members (Majority):
Lindsey Graham, South Carolina,
John Cornyn, Texas
Mike Lee, Utah
Ted Cruz, Texas
Josh Hawley, Missouri
Thom Tillis, North Carolina
John Kennedy, Louisiana
Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee
Eric Schmitt, Missouri
Katie Britt, Alabama
Mike Crapo, Idaho

Featured Video: 
Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on responding to ransomware attacks — 7/27/2021

Current Position: US Senator since 1997
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Position: US Representative from 1983 – 1997

Featured Quote: 
This country needs a new Civilian Conservation Corps for the 21st century. We can put Americans to work, preserve our precious natural parks, and protect the environment—all at once. More about my plan with @RepBobbyRush

Senator Durbin is in his fifth Senate term and has served as the Senate Democratic whip since 2005 (the second-highest position in the Democratic leadership in the Senate) and as the Senate majority whip since 2021. He chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee,

Sen. Dick Durbin’s closing remarks at Amy Coney Barrett Supreme Court hearing

Current Position: US Senator since 2003
Affiliation: Republican
Former Positions: US Representative from 1995 – 2003; State Delegate from 1993 – 1995

Other Positions:  Chair, Subcommittee on the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs  – Committee on Appropriations; Ranking Member, Committee on the Budget

From 1982 to 1988, when he served with the Judge Advocate General’s Corps in the United States Air Force, as a defense attorney and then as the Air Force’s chief prosecutor in Europe, based in West Germany. Graham worked as a lawyer in private practice before serving one term in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1993 to 1995.

Graham sought the Republican nomination for president between June and December 2015, dropping out before the 2016 Republican primaries began. He was an outspoken critic of Donald Trump’s 2016 candidacy and repeatedly said he did not support Trump.

Featured Quote: 
I hope the Biden Administration will let the Taliban know American air power will be available to the Afghan military without time restrictions. If not, we have very dangerous days ahead for the USA and Afghan women as we reach 20th anniversary of 9/11.

Axios On HBO: Senator Lindsey Graham on Trump’s Role in the Republican Party (Clip) | HBO

Oversee the administration of justice within the federal courts, administrative agencies and Federal law enforcement entities. The Judiciary Committee is also the committee responsible for impeachments of federal officials.

Senate counterpart:  Committee on the Judiciary

Subcommittees:

• Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust
• The Constitution and Limited Government
• Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet
• Crime and Federal Government Surveillance
• Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement
• Responsiveness and Accountability to Oversight

Chair: Jim Jordan, Ohio
Ranking Member: Jerry Nadler, New York

Majority Staff Director: Christopher Hixon
Minority Chief of Staff: Amy Rutkin
Meeting Location: 2138 Rayburn House Building, Washington, DC  20515; Phone: (202) 225-6906

Featured Video: 
Oversight of the Voting Rights Act: Potential Legislative Reforms – August 16, 2021
Web Links

Current Position: US Representative of OH 4th District since 2007
Affiliation: Republican
Former Positions: State Senator from 2001 – 2006; State Delegate from 1995 – 2000
Other Positions:  Chair, Committee on the Judiciary
District: was redrawn from the previous district to stretch from Lima, to include the northwestern suburbs of Columbus, up to Tiffin and Elyria on the shores of Lake Erie    
Upcoming Election:

Jordan is a two-time NCAA national champion wrestler and a former college wrestling coach. In Congress, Jordan helped start the right-wing populist House Freedom Caucus, serving as its first chair from 2015 to 2017, and as its vice chair since 2017. Jordan was a prominent critic of Speaker of the House John Boehner, who resigned under Freedom Caucus pressure in 2015.

He was the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee from 2019 to 2020, when he left to become the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, of which he became chair in 2023.

Featured Quote: 
Discussing the January 6th Select Committee on Fox News with @seanhannity and @RepStefanik
at 9:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CT. Tune in!

Rep. Jim Jordan says Trump is not to blame for Capitol insurrection

Current Position: US Representative of NY District 10 since 1992
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Position: State Delegate from 1977 – 1992
District: Includes the Upper West Side constituency (former District 10) represented by Nadler since the 1990s, the Upper East Side, and all of Midtown Manhattan.

Nadler chaired the House Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2023. In his 17th term in Congress, Nadler is the dean of New York’s U.S. House delegation. Before his election to Congress, he served eight terms as a New York State Assemblyman.

Trump impeachment hearing: Chairman Jerrold Nadler’s opening statement