Durbin Statement on President Biden's Nominees to the United States Sentencing Commission

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement on President Biden’s announcement of seven nominees to the bipartisan U.S. Sentencing Commission:

“President Biden’s bipartisan slate of nominees have the experience and expertise needed for the important work of the U.S. Sentencing Commission. I look forward to holding a confirmation hearing for these nominees in the Senate Judiciary Committee in the near future to learn more about their records and approach to federal sentencing.”

The U.S. Sentencing Commission is a bipartisan, independent agency within the federal judiciary that was created to establish policies and practices to reduce sentencing disparities and promote transparency and proportionality in criminal sentencing. To accomplish this, the U.S. Sentencing Commission collects and analyzes information on federal sentencing practices to help develop fairer and more effective criminal justice policies. The Commission has not had a quorum since 2019 and has therefore been unable to respond to important developments in sentencing law, including the enactment of the landmark First Step Act of 2018.

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