William Hughes: “Mr. Chairman, the substitute amendment I am offering will not change the crack cocaine penalties. The substitute will…”

“Mr. Chairman, the substitute amendment I am offering will not change the crack cocaine penalties. The substitute will require the U.S. Sentencing Commission to provide a comprehensive report by the end of this year on all cocaine penalties. Congress officially will have before it by the end of this year complete information on cocaine drug penalties. I believe the information is critical, because I am persuaded that there is sufficient evidence and information to change the penalty structure. This information was the basis for the original amendment, I might say. I wanted to take a few minutes to explain why I think this study is critical and why the original amendment to equalize mandatory minimum penalties for crack cocaine and power cocaine is justified. In 1986, during the fervor of the war on drugs and with a lack of substantive information about a new type of cocaine substance, crack, Congress enacted penalties for crack cocaine that have proven to be unwarranted, unjust and do not achieve the goal of removing big-time dealers.”