Two U.S. senators from opposite sides of the aisle are slated to introduce legislation Tuesday that seeks to ease some criminal justice rules on juvenile and nonviolent offenders—an issue that has united some Democrats and conservatives.
U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D, N.J.) and Rand Paul (R, Ky) are co-sponsoring the bill, which seeks to lesson sentencing and expunge the records of certain non-violent juvenile offenders.
“I will work with anyone, from any party, to make a difference for the people of New Jersey and this bipartisan legislation does just that,” Mr. Booker said in a statement.
Since Mr. Booker took office last year, he has worked to cultivate an image of bipartisanship; he dined with Sen. Ted Cruz (R, Texas) in March and introduced legislation with Sen. Tim Scott (R, S.C.) that would provide tax credits to employers who provide apprenticeships.
Mr. Paul campaigned in New Jersey for Mr. Booker’s Republican challenger, conservative Steve Lonegan, when they ran in a special election last year. But Messrs. Booker and Paul appear to have overlapping interests when it comes to drug and prison policies.
Before he took office, Mr. Booker said in an interview that revamping national drug policies was one of his top issues, and he singled out Mr. Paul as someone he wanted to work with on the issue.
Last month, the two joined Sen. John Walsh (D, Mont.) in proposing amendments that would ban the Justice Department from spending money to combat medical marijuana in states that allow it.
The new legislation from Mr. Booker and Mr. Paul, called the Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment Act, would offer funding to the 10 states that try juveniles as adults as an incentive to raise the age to 18.
It would also lift the federal ban on providing food stamps to those charged with crimes of drug use and possession, and make it easier for some former juvenile offenders to expunge nonviolent convictions from their records.
“The biggest impediment to civil rights and employment in our country is a criminal record,” Mr. Paul said in a statement. “Many of these young people could escape this trap if criminal justice were reformed, if records were expunged after time served, and if non-violent crimes did not become a permanent blot preventing employment.”
Republicans have increasingly spoken out about the need to change criminal justice and drug policies—an issue often championed by Democrats.
Republican Gov. Chris Christie, also of New Jersey, has called the war of drugs a failure, and has increased funding for drug treatment programs in the state. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former House speaker Newt Gingrich, all Republicans, have also publicly embraced rehabilitation programs and sentencing changes for nonviolent offenders.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Traditional Conservative
Connect With Us