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Deutch Statement on Passage of Criminal Justice Reform Legislation

Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after Congress passed the First Step Act, a comprehensive bipartisan criminal justice reform bill: “In May I voted against the House version of the First Step Act because I felt that it missed an opportunity to address the significant problems with our federal sentencing statutes. This legislation we passed today, which I supported, includes broader and much needed criminal justice reform provisions, including improvements to our prison system and sentencing laws. “Our criminal justice system should seek to both punish appropriately, reduce recidivism, and rehabilitate effectively. This legislation will give judges more discretion in sentences for low-level nonviolent drug offen...