Here’s What The Media’s Not Telling You About That Lame-Duck Criminal Justice Bill A piece of criminal justice reform legislation is percolating in Congress. Here's a deeper dive into what might change (and what the media isn't accurately reporting).
By Margot Cleveland
November 21, 2018 Last week, news broke that a bipartisan compromise on criminal justice reform had been tentatively reached, teeing up the First Step Act for passage before Congress’ lame-duck session ends next month. The House-passed version of the bill has been stalled for more than five months, but a behind-the-scenes agreement to add sentencing reform to the prison reform package has given new life to the legislation.
President Trump quickly embraced the news, telling lawmakers to get the bill on his desk. “Did I hear that word ‘bipartisan’? Did I hear that word? That’s a nice word,†Trump quipped at a White House event, surrounded by lawmakers from both parties and his son-in-law-turned-advisor, Jared Kushner, who had been pushing the legislation. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly told Trump there may not be enough time for the Senate to take up the bill before the legislative session ends on December 14.
Over the weekend, McConnell’s Republican colleagues, Lindsey Graham and Rand Paul, hit the Sunday circuit to pressure Senate leaders to move the legislation forward before the year-end recess. Advocates for the legislation, such as Justice Action Network, the nation’s largest bipartisan group pushing criminal justice reform, are likewise pushing the Senate majority leader to bring the First Step Act to the floor.
‘Big Government Run Amok’<..snip..>
http://thefederalist.com/2018/11/21/heres-medias-not-telling-lame-duck-criminal-justice-bill/
