Project for Opportunity and Safety

ICYMI: Conservative Momentum for CJR Grows

In a sign of growing momentum and conservative enthusiasm, this week Republicans from across the country, including elected officials, local party leaders, prosecutors, veterans and economists, have voiced support for Congress to act now to fix our broken criminal justice system.

Local Prosecutors 

National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) Support Revised Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015

“Prosecutors Back Senate Criminal Justice Bill.” “A major prosecutors organization threw its weight behind a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill, an endorsement that could help Senate negotiators allay lingering concerns that the legislation could benefit dangerous criminals.” (Joel Gehrke, “Prosecutors Back Senate Criminal Justice Bill,” Washington Examiner, 4/26/16)

William Fitzpatrick, President Of NDAA: “Our Organization Feels The Latest Version Of The Bill Strikes The Appropriate Balance Between Targeting The Highest Level Drug Traffickers Plaguing Our Communities, While Simultaneously Decreasing Crime Rates And Addressing The Burgeoning Prison Population.” “On behalf of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), the largest prosecutor organization representing 2500 elected and appointed District Attorneys across the United States as well as 30,000 assistant district attorneys, I write in support of S. 2123, the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015. As a result of months of changes and good faith negotiations, our organization feels the latest version of the bill strikes the appropriate balance between targeting the highest level drug traffickers plaguing our communities, while simultaneously decreasing crime rates and addressing the burgeoning prison population.” (William Fitzpatrick, NDAA Support Letter To Sen. McConnell and Reid, 4/26/16)

Veterans

Concerned Veterans For America Backs Sentencing Reform Legislation, “Wholeheartedly” Supporting Section 208c On Re-Entry Assistance To Veterans

Yesterday, Concerned Veterans For America (CVA) Urged “The Full Senate To Move Swiftly To Enact” The Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act Of 2015. “It is in that spirit that we write to convey our support for the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015 (S. 2123)…  As such, CVA urges the full Senate to move swiftly to enact this legislation, which contains language important to incarcerated veterans.” (Dan Caldwell, CVA Support Letter To Sen. McConnell and Reid, 4/26/16)

Dan Caldwell, CVA V.P. Legislative And Political Action: “We Wholeheartedly Support Section 208(C), ‘Facilitating Re-Entry Assistance To Veterans,’ Which Will Assist Incarcerated Veterans Scheduled For Release From Federal Prison In Accessing The Full Range Of Department Of Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits And Services To Which They Are Entitled.” (Dan Caldwell, CVA Support Letter To Sen. McConnell and Reid, 4/26/16)

CVA: “The Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act Will Help Ensure That Those Veterans Receive The Assistance They Need To Successfully Transition Back Into Society.” “By requiring the federal Bureau of Prisons to notify the VA of veterans in the federal prison system, and providing the VA with reasonable access to incarcerated veterans, Section 208(c) of the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act will help ensure that those veterans receive the assistance they need to successfully transition back into society. Making sure incarcerated veterans have the tools and resources they need is an important step toward closing the revolving door of prison, and facilitating the important mission of continued service to their communities.” (Dan Caldwell, CVA Support Letter To Sen. McConnell and Reid, 4/26/16)

Congress

Republican Senators Continue To Voice Support For The Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn And Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley Have “Quietly Courted Key GOP Senators For Weeks To Show Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) They Could Produce Sweeping Support For The Bill.” “The chief Republican backers, led by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, have quietly courted key GOP senators for weeks to show Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) they could produce sweeping support for the bill, which would relax some mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent offenders. They also want to show they can move the bill relatively quickly on the Senate floor.” (Seung Min Kim and Burgess Everett, “Time Running Out For Major Criminal Justice Bill,” Politico, 4/20/16)

Senator Cornyn: I Am “Just Working, Talking To Members On The Floor. And We’re Building Our Numbers.” “’Everybody’s anxiously awaiting an announcement, but I was just working, talking to members on the floor. And we’re building our numbers,’ said Cornyn. ‘We were hoping this week, but it may be next week now, to have a strong show of bipartisan support.’” (Seung Min Kim and Burgess Everett, “Time Running Out For Major Criminal Justice Bill,” Politico, 4/20/16)

Washington Examiner: “Alaska Senator Backs Criminal Justice Reform Package.” “Sen. Dan Sullivan has agreed to back a revised criminal justice reform package, an aide to the Alaska senator told the Washington Examiner.” (Joel Gehrke, “Alaska Senator Backs Criminal Justice Reform Package,” Washington Examiner, 4/22/16)

The Hill: “Kirk To Sign On To Criminal Justice Reform Bill.” “Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) has endorsed the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015, a spokesman for Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) confirmed Tuesday.” (Lydia Wheeler, “Kirk To Sign On To Criminal Justice Reform Bill,” The Hill, 4/12/16)

Politico: “Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)…Has Also Signed Onto The Bill With Grassley’s Revisions.” “Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Who Is Not Up For Reelection, Has Also Signed Onto The Bill With Grassley’s Revisions.” (Seung Min Kim and Burgess Everett, “Time Running Out For Major Criminal Justice Bill,” Politico, 4/20/16)

Republican National Committee

“Republican National Committee Backs Overhaul of Criminal Justice System”

The Wall Street Journal: “The Republican National Committee Unanimously Passed A Resolution In Favor Of Overhauling The Nation’s Criminal Justice System…In A Sign Of Conservative Enthusiasm For The Issue.” “The Republican National Committee unanimously passed a resolution in favor of overhauling the nation’s criminal justice system and reducing the size of the U.S. prison population, in a sign of conservative enthusiasm for the issue. At the Republican National Committee’s spring meeting in Florida on Friday, the full committee passed a resolution calling for ‘reforms for nonviolent offenders at the state and federal level.’” (Byron Tau, “Republican National Committee Backs Overhaul of Criminal Justice System,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/22/16)

“Advocates Are Looking To Include The Language Or Something Similar Into The Party’s Official Platform At July’s Republican Convention.” “Though nonbinding, advocates are looking to include the language or something similar into the party’s official platform at July’s Republican convention.” (Byron Tau, “Republican National Committee Backs Overhaul of Criminal Justice System,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/22/16)

“The Resolution From The RNC Is A Sign Of Bipartisan Consensus That Has Been Emerging On The Issue.” “After decades of politicians in both parties embracing tough sentencing laws and deference to courts and law enforcement, the resolution from the RNC is a sign of bipartisan consensus that has been emerging on the issue. Congress and state legislatures are already considering criminal justice changes.” (Byron Tau, “Republican National Committee Backs Overhaul of Criminal Justice System,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/22/16)

Tom Mechler, The Chairman Of The Texas Republican Party: “The Republicans Are The Ones That Have Taken The Lead On This… Pointing To The Efforts Of Republican Governors To Reduce Recidivism And Shrink Prison Populations In States Like Texas And Elsewhere.” “’The Republicans are the ones that have taken the lead on this,’ said Tom Mechler, the chairman of the Texas Republican Party and a member of the RNC — pointing to the efforts of Republican governors to reduce recidivism and shrink prison populations in states like Texas and elsewhere.” (Byron Tau, “Republican National Committee Backs Overhaul of Criminal Justice System,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/22/16)

Conservative Economists

AEI’s Arthur Brooks And American Action Forum’s Doug Holtz-Eakin Joined The White House To Discuss The Economic Impact Of Criminal Justice Reform

Market Watch: “Conservatives, White House Agree: U.S. Criminal Justice System Does Not Pay Off.” “A band of liberals and conservatives joined on Monday at a White House event to urge Congress and the states to re-examine the high cost of incarceration. They want lawmakers to look at ways to reduce the U.S. prison population, prepare inmates for life after prison and take measures to prevent people from turning to a life of crime.” (Jeffry Bartash, “Conservatives, White House Agree: U.S. Criminal Justice System Does Not Pay Off,” Market Watch, 5/25/16)

Arthur Brooks, President of American Enterprise Institute: “Our Society Pays An Enormous Material Price For This [Broken Criminal Justice System]…However, This Really Isn’t About The Money. This Is About The Lives That We Are Throwing Away.” “Our society pays an enormous material price for this. It creates an enormous amount of economic inefficiency. Now as much as it pains me as an economist to admit it, however, this really isn’t about the money. This is about the lives that we are throwing away.” (Arthur Brooks, “Economic Consequences of the Criminal Justice System,” Event at the White House, 4/25/16)

Brooks: “Today Can Be The First Step Towards Needing Every Citizen Regardless Of Where We Sit On The Political Spectrum.” (Arthur Brooks, “Economic Consequences of the Criminal Justice System,” Event at the White House, 4/25/16)

“‘Sometimes A Cost-Benefit Analysis Tells You It’s A Slam Dunk,’ Said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, A Noted Conservative Economist And President Of The American Action Forum.” (Jeffry Bartash, “Conservatives, White House Agree: U.S. Criminal Justice System Does Not Pay Off,” Market Watch, 5/25/16)