Senate will take up criminal justice vote

Bipartisan bill aims to reduce number of people in nation’s crowded prisons

WASHINGTON – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday that the Senate would take up a long-awaited bipartisan bill that aims to reduce the number of people in the nation’s crowded prisons.

“At the request of the president and following improvements to the legislation that have been secured by several members, the Senate will take up the revised criminal justice bill this month,” the Kentucky Republican said. He said he would turn to it as early as the end of the week.

A coalition of Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, civil rights groups and the White House have pushed for action on the Senate bill called the “First Step Act.”

Despite the bipartisan push to act on the criminal justice bill, the effort had stalled in the Senate. Pressure mounted as President Donald Trump urged McConnell to call up the bill for a vote. Trump welcomed McConnell’s decision Tuesday.

“Looks like it’s going to be passing, hopefully – famous last words,” Trump said at the White House. “It’s really something we’re all very proud of. Tremendous support from Republicans and tremendous support from Democrats. Lot of years they’ve been waiting for it.”

The measure has faced fierce opposition from some Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who said it would free too many prisoners, including violent felons.

Cotton said he looked forward to debating a revised measure and introducing amendments to address his concerns, including the early release of felons who commit certain crimes.

“Unfortunately, the bill still has major problems and allows early release for many categories of serious, violent criminals,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

Republican leaders had said there wasn’t enough support within the party to pass the measure, but support grew. By Monday, at least 34 senators – Democrats and Republicans – had signed onto the bill.

“We have the votes. We’re very confident,” George Hartmann, a spokesman for Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, told USA TODAY on Tuesday.

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., both supporters of criminal justice changes, predicted the bill would pass.

“I think you’ll see a number of Republicans now come on board supporting this bill as amended,” Cornyn said. “The fact that people now know we’re going to vote on it is going to cause people to have to make decisions.”

Paul, who has co-sponsored several of his own criminal justice bills, said he expects close to 80 votes for the bill.

Grassley, one of the lead sponsors, and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., launched a fullcourt press for action on the measure. Vice President Mike Pence and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, visited the U.S. Capitol to rally Senate Republicans.

The bipartisan group of senators made some tweaks, securing support from more conservatives, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., a key player in the criminal justice debate, said there were discussions underway about details of the bill, but he was optimistic any issues would be ironed out.

Booker credited Kushner with helping reach a compromise and getting support for the bill. “I don’t think this would have happened without him,” he said.