FreedomWorks Applauds Important “First Step” In Criminal Justice Reform

Washington, D.C.– FreedomWorks Vice President of Legislative Affairs Jason Pye made the following comment after the House Judiciary Committee approved the FIRST STEP Act, H.R. 5682, introduced by Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.):

“We’re encouraged by the incredibly favorable 25-5 vote in the committee today on the FIRST STEP Act. This is a long overdue bill that adopts the same approach to reduce recidivism that has been successfully implemented in states like Georgia and Texas. We encourage House leadership to capitalize on the momentum and bring the FIRST STEP Act to the floor for a vote.”

“Although today’s vote is a positive sign, we still have a long way to go. As the bill’s title suggests, this is the first step. Congress must do more to ensure that those who are re-entering society and want a better life for themselves and their families have meaningful opportunities to work toward that goal. Another part of the discussion is sentencing reform. Sooner or later, Congress will have to revisit this issue to ensure that we are reforming sentences for low-level, nonviolent offenders and reserving limited prison space for violent offenders.”