Press Release
FAMM releases statement on EQUAL Act not being included in the omnibus appropriations bill
For Media Inquiries:
Tripp Laino, 202-999-4273
tlaino@famm.org
FAMM releases statement on EQUAL Act not being included in the omnibus appropriations bill
WASHINGTON – FAMM President Kevin Ring issued the following statement after the Senate failed to include the EQUAL Act in the omnibus appropriations bill, killing this significant opportunity to right this historic wrong:
This is shameful. Congress heard from families who have suffered the most because of this racist and indefensible disparity – and then chose to leave those people behind.
While members of Congress fly home to spend the holidays with their families, thousands of families now face the prospect of being separated for years or even decades longer than necessary — all because of the cowardice and incompetence of our elected leaders.
This is the triumph of politics over people, and it’s sickening. We will keep fighting until this disparity is eliminated and everyone who is behind bars because of it is freed.
FAMM and its allies began the #EndTheDisparity campaign in January 2021 to build support for the EQUAL Act. The bill, which was supported by the Justice Department, state and local enforcement organizations, and civil rights groups, passed the House in September 2021 by an overwhelming 361-66 vote before it stalled in the Senate.
For more than three decades, FAMM has united the voices of affected families, the formerly incarcerated, and a range of stakeholders and advocates to fight for a more fair and effective justice system. FAMM has led the fight to reform extreme mandatory sentencing laws and to promote rehabilitation and dignity for all people in prison, 94 percent of whom will return to our neighborhoods one day.
###
FAMM is a national nonpartisan advocacy organization that promotes fair and effective criminal justice policies that safely reduce incarceration, save taxpayer dollars, and keep families together. Founded in 1991, FAMM has secured bold sentencing and prison reform across the country while elevating the voices of directly impacted individuals and families.