HS Alliance
September 28, 2021
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Press Releases
WASHINGTON DC – U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) , the bipartite sponsors of the Senate of EQUAL Act, has issued the statement below following the adoption of the EQUAL Act in the House of Representatives by a bipartisan vote of 361-66:
“Today Republicans and House Democrats came together to pass EQUAL, legislation that will once and for all eliminate the unjust federal disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences. With broad support from faith groups, civil rights organizations, law enforcement and people from all political backgrounds, this common sense bill will help reform our criminal justice system so that it is better suited to the ideals of true justice and equality before the law. We applaud the House for its vote today and urge our Senate colleagues to support this historic bill. “
Ohio eliminated crack sentence disparities in 2011.
In addition to bipartisan support from Congress, this landmark legislation enjoys the support of groups from all political backgrounds, including the National District Attorneys Association, Americans for Tax Reform, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, Prison Fellowship, Due Process Institute, Americans for Prosperity, FAMM , Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition, Digital Liberty, Faith and Freedom Coalition, ALEC Action, R Street Institute, National Association for Public Defense, American Civil Liberties Union, Sentencing Project, Fair Trials, FreedomWorks, Center for American Progress, Drug Policy Alliance, Conférence Jesuit, Black Public Defender Association, Dream Corps JUSTICE, Federal Public and Community Defenders, Innocence Project, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Taxpayers Protection Alliance and Tzedek Association.
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