June 9, 2009
Dear FAMM supporter --
This Thursday, the U.S. Senate will hold a hearing on Sen. Jim Webb's (D-Va.) bill to create a commission to take a top-to-bottom look at the criminal justice system. While we know that Sen. Webb is deeply concerned about mandatory minimum sentences, we want to make sure that the commission he is forming will take a serious look at sentencing policies. We need to remind Sen. Webb to include a thorough review of sentencing and meaningful recommendations for reform, in the commission's work.
You can help in that effort by contacting your Senator today, Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee and will be at the Webb hearing this Thursday. Sen. Durbin is sympathetic to the work FAMM is doing and has spoken out passionately against mandatory minimums. We hope that he will do so again this Thursday, but he needs to be encouraged to do so.
Please click here to email Sen. Durbin today to:
1. express your opposition to mandatory minimum sentences and
2. ask him to urge the Webb Commission to examine mandatory sentencing and recommend changes.
The hearing is entitled "Exploring the National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009." It will be held on Thursday, June 11, 2009, at 2 p.m. before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs. The hearing will be webcast if you are interested in watching: http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=3906.
Thanks so much for your help.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
Jennifer Seltzer Stitt
Sentences that Fit. Justice that Works.