Senate passes Trump-backed criminal justice reform bill

DCNFHenry Rodgers, DCNF

(Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

The U.S. Senate passed a criminal justice reform bill backed by President Donald Trump on the Senate floor Tuesday night.

TheĀ bill, titled theĀ ā€œFirst Step Act,ā€ includesĀ both prison and sentencing reforms, in which many Republicans had beenĀ pushingĀ to pass before Democrats take control of the House on Jan. 3.Ā The vote wasĀ 87-12.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’RE MISSING …

One failed amendment in the bill would haveĀ required the victims of families to be notified when a prisoner was released from prison. That amendment was shot down,Ā 67-32.

The bill gained bi-partisan support, even from senators such as California Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris, whoĀ saidĀ Monday the bill would make the ā€œcriminal justice system smarter.ā€

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellĀ saidĀ in a floor speech on Dec. 11 that it is likely the Senate will work between Christmas and New Yearā€™s ā€œif necessaryā€ to pass criminal justice reform legislation before 2019.

Funding for the governmentĀ was setĀ to expire on Dec. 7. However, the HouseĀ passedĀ a two-week resolution to avoid a government shutdown by unanimous consent in a voice vote, meaning members did not have to be present for the vote.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’RE MISSING …

The bill was then approved by the Senate, which is in session, funding the government until Dec. 21.

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