|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced on Dec. 11, 2018, that he will bring a criminal justice bill up for a vote “as early as the end of this week.”
The legislation initiated by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and
The New York Times reports the bill will “reverse some of the tough-on-crime federal policies of the 1980s and 1990s that incarcerated African-American offenders at much higher rates than white offenders.” They also mentioned President Donald Trump enthusiastically endorses the legislation.
Because of the perceived divisiveness in the Senate, last week McConnell said he would not bring the bill forward until next year. He believes it will take at least 10 days before the legislation is passed and there are only 2 weeks left in this year’s Congressional session.
Supporters and backers of the bill have been lobbying for months to have the legislation come to the floor. McConnell capitulated in order to appease Trump’s impatience.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
The Hill: McConnell agrees to vote on Trump-backed criminal justice bill
The New York Times: McConnell Tells Trump a Criminal Justice Bill Is Not Likely This Year
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Gage Skidmore’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License