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Sentencing Bills Before Senate Judiciary Committee

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #814)
Drug War Issues
Sentencing
Mandatory Minimums
Politics & Advocacy
Congress

The Senate Judiciary Committee will be working on a trio of sentencing reform bills Thursday. Committee Chair Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is attempting to create a comprehensive sentencing bill that will attract bipartisan support.

Pat Leahy
The three bills are the Smarter Sentencing Act (Senate Bill 1410), the Recidivism Reduction and Public Safety Act (Senate Bill 1675), and the Justice Safety Valve Act (Senate Bill 619).

The Smarter Sentencing Act expands mandatory minimum sentencing reform by making the 2010 Fair Sentencing Act retroactive and reducing the length of many mandatory sentences by half.

The Recidivism Reduction and Public Safety Act would increase good time credits for rehabilitative programs, while the Justice Safety Valve Act would allow judges to sentence below mandatory minimums if certain circumstances are present.

The bills are backed by a broad coalition of civil rights, drug reform, and faith groups, as well as conservative and law enforcement and victim rights groups.

The hearing is set for 10:00am EDT Thursday. You can watch it online here.

News Brief
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

Anthony Carfagno (not verified)

Faith Groups & The Government Me. Smith Thank you for this Article ... As a "Faith group" Member (Judeo-Christianity) ... The FOUNDING "FAITH GROUP" which started American Colonization in the 1600's ... I FIND IT SAD ... when the Governinment (Namely an origination NGO TYPE) the IRS (Internal Revenur "SERVICE") is allowed to "ATTACK" an upstanding man ... because he sadly thought the LAWS of his country ... We're going protect him :.( Predictively ... This Gentileman / Citizen ... Next store neighbor ... Fell into the HANDS OF THE SYSTEM ... When Law abiding but MEDDELING CITIZENS get to close & start "STEPPING ON TOES" (their not supposed KNOW) are THERE?! God ... Let His people know ... Daniel 11:32-33  And such as do wickedly against the Covenant he ...will corrupt by flatteries: but the people who do know their God will be strong, and do exploits. 33] And the people who ... UNDERSTAND among the people WILL instruct (TEACH) many! BUT ... they will fall (Be STOPED) by the sword, and by flame, by captivity (Prison) and by spoil, (Pillage / IRS ROBERY) for many days. It's obvious if ANY DECENT American read the Hovind Case (with out) government Special Pleading & Specious arguments this Religious Group was A VICTIM of OPOSINNG PARTIES & Oposing Agenda's! Regardless of what Earth's "Justice" (?) rules ... God "Justice" claims He will AVENGE HIS OWN, and I sure hate to be the one ... Fighting God.
Fri, 12/20/2013 - 12:21am Permalink
kickback (not verified)

If Congress had any sense when it comes to drug law reform , they would reschedule and legalize Cannabis . Where is this on the radar ?

Fri, 12/20/2013 - 4:14am Permalink
Ruth Bonner (not verified)

Congress needs to get Marijuana off the schedule 1 list and stop acting like the irrelevant dinosaurs they have become.

Other than throwing their butts out when Election time rolls around, I honestly don't know what it's going to take to get these politician's  who CLAIM to work for the American people, to Actually WORK for the American people. What part of of over 2/3's of America want this,  do they not understand?

Fri, 01/31/2014 - 6:38pm Permalink

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