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November 15, 2018

Sentencing Reform Package Draws Broad Early Support
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President Trump is backing a criminal sentencing reform bill in what
many are praising as a bipartisan effort to overhaul the way certain
crimes are sentenced in the courts. The proposed reforms include
rehabilitation programs for former prisoners and a reduction in
mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes. The First Step Act has
been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police and is supported by many
conservatives, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc Connell and the
Koch brothers. A number of progressive groups, including the ACLU-which
had previously opposed an earlier House version of the bill-have also
come out in support. Some Democratic lawmakers, including Cory Booker of
New Jersey, are seeking improvements to the bill before endorsing it.


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