H.Res. 711, recommending that the House of Representatives find Eric H. Holder, Jr., Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with a subpoena duly issued by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Summary: According to House Report 112-546,"The Department of Justice has refused to comply with congressional subpoenas related to Operation Fast and Furious, an Administration initiative that allowed around two thousand firearms to fall into the hands of drug cartels and may have led to the death of a U.S. Border Patrol Agent. The consequences of the lack of judgment that permitted such an operation to occur are tragic.”  The report continues, “The Department's refusal to work with Congress to ensure that it has fully complied with the Committee's efforts to compel the production of documents and information related to this controversy is inexcusable and cannot stand. Those responsible for allowing Fast and Furious to proceed and those who are preventing the truth about the operation from coming out must be held accountable for their actions.  Having exhausted all available options in obtaining compliance, the Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee recommends that Congress find the Attorney General in contempt for his failure to comply with the subpoena issued to him.”  The resolution will be referred to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for enforcement of the subpoena.  In addition, the House approved H.Res. 706 by a vote of 258-95, authorizing the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to initiate or intervene in judicial proceedings in any Federal court of jurisdiction to seek declaratory judgments affirming the duty of Attorney General Holder to comply with any subpoena issued to him by the Committee, as part of its investigation into the “Fast and Furious” operation, and to seek appropriate ancillary relief, including injunctive relief.

Rep. Farenthold Votes: YES
Passed the House by a vote of 255-67