Contact: Rabiah Burks
rburks@famm.org
202-822-6700
FAMM Opposes Rushed Crime of Violence Bill H.R. 6691
WASHINGTON – FAMM Vice President of Policy Molly Gill responded to the rushed scheduled vote in the U.S. House of Representatives of H.R. 6691, the “Community Safety and Security Act of 2018.” The bill was introduced on August 31 and scheduled for a floor vote for the week of September 3 without receiving a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee:
FAMM opposes H.R. 6691, a bill designed to rewrite the definition of a “crime of violence” in the federal criminal code. The bill would label seemingly nonviolent offenses such as burglary of an unoccupied home and fleeing as violent offenses. The bill would also label as violent conspiracy to commit any of the listed offenses, even when no violent acts have occurred.
FAMM opposes not just the contents of this bill but the speed at which it is going to the floor for a vote. Earlier this year, the House passed the FIRST STEP Act (H.R. 5682), a prison reform bill that was the product of years of thought, deliberation, and bipartisan collaboration. A bill that would drastically reshape our definition of a violent crime should not receive a floor vote less than a week after introduction. Passing criminal justice legislation without due diligence was the preferred practice of the 1980s, and we are still cleaning up those messes today. We should not create more of them now.
FAMM opposes H.R. 6691 and urges the House to move any and all changes to the criminal justice system through the proper legislative process before bringing them to the floor.
FAMM is a nonpartisan, national advocacy organization that promotes fair and effective criminal justice reforms to make our communities safe. Founded in 1991, FAMM promotes change by raising the voices of families and individuals who are directly affected by counterproductive sentencing and prison policies.
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