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USA Today: Vote on Strongly Bipartisan First Step Act

USA Today’s editorial board joined a growing list of major national news leaders in endorsing the First Step Act. The bipartisan criminal justice reform bill has been praised by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal editorial boards, as well as the Houston Chronicle.
 
 
“Bipartisan support for the [First Step Act] extends well beyond Congress. President Donald Trump has endorsed it, as have the Koch brothers on the right to the ACLU on the left.“
“The measure would also go a long way toward helping inmates successfully re-enter society, an urgent task in a nation where nearly 50 percent of federal offenders return to the criminal justice system within eight years.”
“The Senate proposal represents the most realistic chance in years to improve the nation's criminal justice system. Republicans and Democrats agree that the system needs an overhaul. Let the Senate vote.”
 
The First Step Act is backed by President Trump and is currently cosponsored by 28 senators. It is endorsed by a number of law enforcement groups, including the nation’s largest police group.  It’s also now supported by 172 former federal prosecutors including two former Republican U.S. attorneys general, two former deputy attorneys general and a former director of the FBI along with sheriffs from 34 states across the country. The National Governor’s Association, which represents the governors of all 50 states, also praised the bill. And a broad coalition of conservative, progressive and faith groups also support the bill.
 
More information on the legislation can be found here:
·        Bill text
·        Fact sheet
 

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