Update (December 20, 2018): A criminal justice reform bill called the First Step Act that passed the Senate this week has now cleared the House of Representatives and will head to the White House.
USA Today reports the bill, which enjoyed broad bipartisan support, passed the House with a 358-36 vote. Although it currently lacks the president's signature, it already has White House approval, having won the cosign of a key presidential adviser, Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
The president himself tweeted his congratulations to Congress for its work in drafting, amending and passing the legislation, writing, "This is a great bipartisan achievement for everybody. When both parties work together, we can keep our country safer. A wonderful thing for the USA!!"
Congress just passed the Criminal Justice Reform Bill known as the #FirstStepAct. Congratulations! This is a great bi-partisan achievement for everybody. When both parties work together we can keep our Country safer. A wonderful thing for the U.S.A.!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018
As Vox notes, the bill only affects federal prisoners; local laws govern those locked up by state governments. The federal government oversees the minority of the U.S. prison population, about 180,000 people. A total of 2.1 million people are incarcerated across the country, a number that roughly equals the people of Houston, according to Houston Public Media.
The bill makes some small changes to current criminal justice law. It makes it easier for federal prisoners to secure early release through good behavior, extends 2010 crack sentencing protections to those sentenced under pre-2010 laws and edits rules on mandatory minimum sentences.
As the bill is somewhat limited in scope (it doesn't address marijuana or the cash bail system, for instance) advocates in Congress are already promising more criminal justice reform legislation is on the horizon.
Representative Cedric Richmond (D-LA), the soon-to-be former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said the bill lives up to its name in that “it’s a good first step." This sentiment was echoed by Holly Harris, who heads the Justice Action Network. Harris said she and other reform activists are celebrating this win, but have "already started talking about the second step."
Original: The U.S. Senate passed a historic criminal justice reform bill, and it could translate to reduced prison sentences for nonviolent offenders.
The First Step Act will lessen the burden for felons making their transition from prison to halfway homes or house arrest, per CNBC.
According to NBC News, the "First Step Act" passed 87-12.
Furthermore, the act intends to develop policies to prevent repeat offenders and protect first-time, non-violent offenders from harsh convictions.
BuzzFeed News notes that since negotiations of the bill began, there wasn't always bipartisan support to enact into law. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) revealed a bipartisan crew of senators came together to persuade their colleagues to authorize this regulation, and Senate leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) allowed the vote to move forward when a majority of members from both sides championed the bill.
The measure would allow reprieve for nearly 3,000 inmates still serving jail time under a dated system that regards possession of crack cocaine 100 times more severe than ownership of the powdered drug.
BuzzFeed writes the First Step Act furthermore amends a "three strikes" mandate by decreasing the second strike sentence from 20 years to 15 years of jail time and the third offense from a life sentence to 25 years.
Booker tweeted an enthusiastic response to the passing, calling the process "years in the making."
A BIPARTISAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM BILL JUST PASSED THE SENATE!
This was years in the making. Thousands will obtain greater justice and new pathways to liberation as a result of this bill. This is just one step. This is just the beginning. The work must continue. Onward! ✨
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) December 19, 2018
The legislation now rests in the hands of the House, which is expected to vote on the bill as early as Wednesday, notes BuzzFeed. The House adopted an identical policy in May, and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) intends on ushering the bill into law before the 115th Congress concludes at the end of the year.
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