Sen. Chuck Grassley’s criminal justice overhaul law wins President Trump’s support

chuck grassley

President Donald Trump gave his official backing to U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley’s criminal justice overhaul efforts, giving Iowa’s senior senator hope his years-long quest to change the nation’s sentencing system might become a reality.

The proposal, bundled in a measure called the First Step Act, is the result of a bipartisan effort between Grassley, a Republican, and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois. If it becomes law, it would shorten mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug crimes, create programs to help prisoners re-adjust to their communities and stay out of prison, and improve conditions for women in prison, among other changes.

The widespread support the proposal’s garnered — not just from Grassley, but from organizations like the Fraternal Order of Police — changed his mind, according to some reports. Trump announced his support at a White House event joined by his adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has made criminal justice reform a centerpiece of his portfolio.

Read the full article on the Des Moines Register