Mayors Call For Quick Passage Of Justice Reform Legislation

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors today announced its support for bipartisan justice reform legislation now moving through Congress. 

The organization's Executive Committee approved an emergency policy resolution offered by Conference President and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake that calls for reform of the criminal justice system consistent with bipartisan legislation that has been reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  The resolution also pledges that the Conference will work with Congress, the Administration, law enforcement, and others to see that legislation quickly enacted into law.

"The bipartisan bill that is moving in the Senate would address decades of serious inequities in federal sentencing for certain drug offenders, target violent criminals, and grant judges greater discretion at sentencing for lower-level drug crimes. It also includes provisions intended to curb recidivism by helping prisoners successfully re-enter society," Rawlings-Blake commented.

"This is a point in time when we may be able to get something done to address a serious problem in this nation.  There is strong bipartisan support in Congress for such legislation; President Obama has made passage a priority for his Administration; and law enforcement is firmly behind it," she continued.  "This sorely needed legislation is important for our cities and our residents and is a critical step in reforming the criminal justice system.  The nation's mayors are committed to seeing it enacted into law."

The resolution adopted by the Conference is at www.usmayors.org.

About The United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

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SOURCE The U.S. Conference of Mayors