House Judiciary Committee pushes for criminal justice reform

By Kelly Cohen, Kelly Cohen

Published December 20, 2015

The House Judiciary Committee this week will consider legislation to reform the criminal justice system, following bipartisan calls for changes to sentencing laws.

Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., says the push is for what he's calling "common sense reforms" that reflect core American values.

"Through the Committee's initiative we are addressing issues such as over-criminalization, sentencing reform, prison and reentry reform, improved criminal procedures and policing strategies, and civil asset forfeiture reform," Goodlatte said in a video statement Monday.

On Wednesday, the House Committee will markup the Sentencing Reform Act, a bill introduced last month by Goodlatte, Ranking Member Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security,and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Mich., and Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif.

The legislation is a companion to the Sentencing and Corrections Reform Act that passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee last month and has the backing of President Obama.