The Senate has passed criminal justice reform with bipartisan support handing Trump a big victory as the year closes out.
According to The Daily Wire:
In a rare moment of bipartisan action, the U.S. Senate passed President Trump’s widely supported First Step Act, a prison reform bill promoted heavily by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. After the bill passed with an overwhelming 87-12 vote Tuesday night, Trump took to Twitter to celebrate the “historic” bill.
“America is the greatest Country in the world and my job is to fight for ALL citizens, even those who have made mistakes,” Trump wrote in a pair of tweets. “Congratulations to the Senate on the bi-partisan passing of a historic Criminal Justice Reform Bill. This will keep our communities safer, and provide hope and a second chance, to those who earn it. In addition to everything else, billions of dollars will be saved. I look forward to signing this into law!”
America is the greatest Country in the world and my job is to fight for ALL citizens, even those who have made mistakes. Congratulations to the Senate on the bi-partisan passing of a historic Criminal Justice Reform Bill….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018
….This will keep our communities safer, and provide hope and a second chance, to those who earn it. In addition to everything else, billions of dollars will be saved. I look forward to signing this into law!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018
The bill, which had strong backing from groups on both the Right and Left, had stalled in the Senate before pressure from Trump and other Republicans, along with a few adjustments to the bill, convinced Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to put it up for vote. The bill is now expected to sail through the House this week. A version of the bill passed easily in the House in May (360-59).
The First Step Act (S. 3649) “provide[s] for programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison” and, in so doing, reduce the number of inmates overall. The primary focus of the bill is to promote federal rehabilitation efforts, including providing programs designed to prevent recidivism and easing up on statutory sentencing for some drug offenders. Life sentences for three-time drug offenders will be reduced to 25 years.
President Trump has scored yet another victory, but it remains to be seen how the mainstream media will spin this to make it look like a loss.
