Shutdown ends – for now On January 25, portions of the federal government that had been without funding for 35 days reopened under a continuing resolution through February 15. The deal came one day after a proposal to pair border wall funding with protections for DACA and TPS recipients failed in the Senate. The bill would have…
January 7, 2019 Looking back at 2018 and ahead to 2019 As we begin 2019, we are grateful for the advocacy work that we have been able to do together with you over the past year. We celebrated reforms to our criminal justice system, legislation on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the renewal of…
After years of attempts to reform our broken criminal justice system, change is within sight. The First Step Act, a bill that includes important sentencing and prison reforms, has strong bipartisan support in the Senate and has now been endorsed by the president. But if Congress does not pass this legislation by the end of…
Help us pass criminal justice reforms! President Donald Trump recently voiced his support for a bipartisan criminal justice bill, a revised First Step Act that would provide sentencing and prison reforms. The First Step Act would curb mandatory minimums for many low-level drug crimes, providing judges with more discretion over individual cases. The bill also aims to eliminate the…
With more than 2 million men and women held in U.S. jails and prisons, the need for criminal justice reform has become evident. But legislators disagree on what these reforms should look like. Some believe tough sentencing tactics — like mandatory minimums — must continue to keep communities safe. Many are driven by a desire…
In recent years, many celebrities have used their platforms to highlight flaws in the criminal justice system. The light shed on these important issues has encouraged others to pay more attention to and advocate for legislation that focuses on sentencing and reentry reforms within the criminal justice system. Celebrities have historically played a large role in highlighting injustice, including…
The MCC U.S. Washington Office celebrates 50 years! This summer, our office will celebrate 50 years since its founding in 1968. This spring’s special edition of our print newsletter takes a look back at the Washington Office’s work over the past 50 years. Read it here or download the PDF version. Join us Tuesday, July 17 as we celebrate…
