Page 23 - HOSPITAAL

A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 15 November 2018

Trump backs 1st major rewrite of sentencing laws in decades

By ZEKE MILLER, LISA MAS- wary of efforts to overhaul
CARO and JILL COLVIN, As- sentencing laws.
sociated Press The White House official
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- called the timing coinci-
dent Donald Trump on dental.
Wednesday announced The Senate approach
his support for the first ma- would allow thousands
jor rewrite of the nation’s of federal prisoners sen-
criminal justice sentencing tenced for crack cocaine
laws in a generation, but it offenses before August
remains to be seen wheth- 2010 the opportunity to pe-
er the proposal can pass tition for a reduced penal-
Congress. ty. It would also lower man-
“Today I’m thrilled to an- datory minimum sentences
nounce my support for this for some drug offenses. The
bipartisan bill that will make life sentence for some drug
our communities safer offenders with three con-
and give former inmates a victions, or “three strikes,”
second chance at life af- would be reduced to 25
ter they have served their years.
time,” Trump said at the But roughly 90 percent of
White House. Trump hailed prison inmates are held in
the deal as proof that “true state facilities and would
bipartisanship is possible” President Donald Trump speaks about H. R. 5682, the “First Step Act” in the Roosevelt Room of not be affected by the leg-
— though no Democrats the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, which would reform America’s prison islation.
attended the announce- system. All but two Republicans
ment. Associated Press voted for the House bill
Senators reached an Senate Majority Leader speaking on condition of But even as he hailed when it was overwhelming-
agreement this week on Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. was anonymity to discuss in- the cooperation, Trump ly approved in May, 360-
bipartisan legislation that cautious about the bill’s ternal thinking, said they couldn’t resist a swipe at his 59. Democratic lawmakers
would boost rehabilitation prospects Wednesday. He hoped McConnell would former political opponents, supported the bill by about
efforts for federal prisoners told reporters that GOP hold a whip count after the saying the “Clinton crime a 2-to-1 margin, but oppo-
and give judges more dis- leaders would do a whip Thanksgiving break. They law” disproportionality af- nents voiced concerns that
cretion when sentencing count to gauge the bill’s also argued Trump’s sup- fected black Americans. it did not go far enough in
nonviolent offenders, par- support once they have a port would move lawmak- The Senate package over- giving judges more discre-
ticularly for drug offenses. final proposal in hand. ers to back the compro- hauls some of the manda- tion to make the punish-
The House approved a Still, he noted the Senate mise and that more would tory sentencing guidelines ment fit the crime.
prison reform bill in May, has other things it needs sign on once legislative text that have been in place The House bill directs the
but the proposed Senate to accomplish in the final is released. since 1994 legislation ap- Bureau of Prisons to con-
package makes additional weeks of the year, includ- The bill is a rare bipartisan proved by Congress and duct assessments for every
changes and adds the sen- ing funding the govern- endeavor in a typically log- signed into law by then- offender once he or she is
tencing component. That ment and passing a farm jammed Congress and has President Bill Clinton. sentenced and to offer re-
means the House would bill. He said Republicans attracted support from a Democrat Sen. Dick Durbin habilitation plans designed
need to revote on anything would have to see how the coalition of liberal and con- of Illinois and Republican to lower the chance of re-
the Senate passes. criminal justice bill “stacks servative groups, including Sen. Chuck Grassley of cidivism. The plans would
Criminal justice reform has up against our other pri- the American Civil Liberties Iowa released a joint state- include vocational training,
been a priority of Trump’s orities” once a final agree- Union and groups backed ment, calling the endorse- education, counseling and
son-in-law, White House se- ment is reached. by the political donors ment “an important step substance abuse treat-
nior adviser Jared Kushner, House Speaker Paul Ryan, Charles and David Koch. in our shared effort to pro- ment.
who has been working on R-Wis., called Trump’s an- Critics say current sentenc- mote safe communities The federal inmate popu-
the issue for months. Trump nouncement “an encour- ing guidelines are unfair and improve justice.” lation has been on the de-
pushed for swift passage of aging sign that we can and have had a lopsided Grassley had said Tuesday cline since 2013, when it
the legislation, potentially achieve substantive re- impact on minority com- the bill would be easier to peaked at just more than
during the lame-duck ses- forms to our criminal justice munities. pass after the departure of 219,000. The total now
sion of Congress. system in this Congress.” “Did I hear the word bipar- Attorney General Jeff Ses- stands at about 181,400,
“I’ll be waiting with a pen,” “Redemption is at the heart tisan?” Trump joked during sions, who was ousted by according to the Federal
he said. of the American Idea, and a Roosevelt Room event Trump last week. Sessions Bureau of Prisons. Still, that’s
But members still haven’t that’s what this is about,” announcing his backing for was a longtime opponent about triple the number of
seen the details, and time is he said. the deal. “Did I hear that of criminal justice reform inmates in federal deten-
running short. A White House official, word? That’s a nice word.” and had been especially tion 30 years ago.q