Posted on 12/19/2018 1:14:13 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
The Senate passed a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill on Tuesday night, handing a significant victory to President Trump and senators who lobbied to advance the legislation before the end of the year.
Senators voted 87-12 on the legislation, which merges a House-passed prison reform bill aimed at reducing recidivism with a handful of changes to sentencing laws and mandatory minimum prison sentences.
Its passage is also a win for Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, who took on criminal justice reform as one of his primary policy goals and who has lobbied individual senators to back the bill for months.
Conservative lawmakers had scrambled to make changes to the White House-backed bill ahead of the vote Tuesday night. Twelve Republican senators ended up voting against the measure despite Trump’s support.
The bill still needs to clear the House, which starts back in session on Wednesday, before it can go to Trump’s desk for a signature. Advocates believe it will get a vote in the lower chamber as soon as Thursday as lawmakers aim to wrap up their work this week before leaving town for the holiday recess.
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) indicated after the Senate vote that the House would take it up before the end of the year.
"Criminal justice reform is about giving more Americans a chance at redemption. The House looks forward to sending it to the president to become law," he said in a tweet....
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Have been a Govt employee many years...every time we hear the word “Reform”, it translate to a screw job.
I thought I spotted Van Jones, in the background...behind POTUS, at the signing of this bill.
Anyone know for sure?
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