Congress Reforms Crack Vs. Cocaine Felony Sentences

The U.S. House of Representatives voted to reduce the penalty for crack cocaine, by increasing the amount of crack a person would need to posses in order to warrant a felony charge. To be charged with a felony crack users needed to posses only 5 grams of crack, while cocaine powder users needed 500 grams to be hit with the same charge.

That disparity was 100-1 and was a focus of many drug war opponents claim of racist laws. In March the Senate voted for legislation that reduces the disparity to 18 to 1 on a voice vote. The new crack cocaine threshold will be 28 grams, and the powder level remains the same.

President Obama is expected to sign the legislation, since he voiced opposition to the disparity in the past. Majority whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) hailed the legislation stating that although a majority of crack cocaine users are white, 80 percent of convictions were of African-Americans.

Mr. Clyburn goes on to say that crack cocaine is still a serious problem in neighborhoods and communities, and that the bill has increased penalties for serious drug offenders. He maintains that the disparity needed to be corrected. Other members of the congressional black caucus stated it was a step in the right direction.

Some Democrats were leary of voting for the bill if the Republicans insisted on a roll call vote, which might have been a problem for members running for re-election come November, which all 435 house members are slated to do, but Republicans did not insist on a roll call, clearing the way for passage of the bill.

The vote comes a day after the House voted for legislation creating a blue ribbon commission to study the criminal justice system from top to bottom for recommended reforms. The Senate voted for the commission after Jim Webb (D-Va) helped lead the way for passage in the upper chamber.

References
Huffington Post