When the GOP takes over the House (and maybe the Senate) in November, and the talk of how much this development will hurt justice reform efforts, remember this moment. Pending in Congress is a bill - the EQUAL Act - that would reduce unnecessary prison sentences by 67,00 years.
The bill was approved by the House with 361 votes. If brought to the floor of the Senate tomorrow, it surely would receive more than 60 votes. It is the only decarceration measure that has broad support from law enforcement organizations, like @ndaajustice,
conservative advocates, like @RightOnCrime, and usual justice reform allies. It would allow @POTUS to correct his support for the 1986 law that created the crack disparity. Most importantly, it would reunite thousands of families without increasing crime.
So why isn't it getting done? Why not bring it up for a vote? Why not add it to the next must-pass spending bill? If Members of Congress are going to keep 7,000 people - 91% of whom are Black - in prison longer even when they have the votes to fix it, they should explain why.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
