Draft Jim Jordan for Speaker - April 2018

Washington, DC- Speaking at a White House prison reform summit, President Trump called on Congress to pass a prison reform bill for him to sign now, not later.

The fix is in. Officials at the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) are lining their own pockets at the expense of thousands of island families still living without power.

One of the arguments that those opposed to criminal justice reform often claim is that violent crime is a concern, making it unwise to pass even the most basic of reforms to reduce recidivism. This is hypocritical on its face, simply because reducing recidivism by definition reduces crime rates by lowering the number of re-offenders. Nevertheless, opponents of criminal justice reform are ramping up their rhetoric on crime rates to oppose the FIRST STEP Act, H.R. 5682.

Last week, the House Judiciary Committee approved the Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person (FIRST STEP) Act, H.R. 5682, by a 25 to 5 vote. Four Democrats voted against the measure because the bill doesn’t have any sentencing reforms. Only one Republican voted against it. Approval by the committee sets the stage for a floor vote, likely in the coming weeks.

The House and Senate are in session this week.

Democrats froth at the mouth to take on President Trump in 2020 because he’s demolishing President Obama’s tax-spend-and-regulate everything legacy. Even though Democrats lost in 2016 by proudly championing big government, rumored 2020 presidential candidates Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) think bigger government will work this time around.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announced plans to scrap an Obama regulation on fuel efficiency. Obama’s policy spiked automobile prices and outpaced the industry’s ability to adapt.