Letter to Congress regarding the Smarter Sentencing Act

SUMMARY

In a letter to Congress, the Committee on Federal Courts expressed support for H.R. 3382/S.1410, the Smarter Sentencing Act, because it would provide urgently needed reform of current mandatory minimum sentences. Most significantly, the Act would: 1) reduce mandatory minimum sentences for many drug offenses; 2) broaden the conditions under which drug offenders may qualify for a sentence below the mandatory minimum; 3) permit current federal prisoners to seek relief retroactively under the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010; and 4) require the Sentencing Commission to amend the Guidelines to reflect the new provisions, which will result in fairer sentencing overall.