Bobby Scott: “Mr. Chairman, this is a 10-page amendment with mandatory minimum sentences, mandatory sentences of life imprisonment…”

“Mr. Chairman, this is a 10-page amendment with mandatory minimum sentences, mandatory sentences of life imprisonment, and a death penalty provision. It has not been considered by any subcommittee or the full Committee on the Judiciary, and I am not sure it has even been considered by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. We have information that the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has not considered it and, in fact, may not support it. It appears to make, but it is not clear whether conspiracies, attempts and threats are subject to the same penalties as the underlying offense. Not only have these provisions not been considered by the appropriate committees of jurisdiction, but because of the mandatory minimum sentences, neither sentencing experts nor judges on the U.S. Sentencing Commission who have the responsibility to assure a rational and proportional sentencing system, nor any Federal judge who would review all the facts and circumstances of the case, will get to assess whether or not these sentences make any sense. Mr. Chairman, I remind my colleagues that the Judicial Conference has written a letter saying that these mandatory minimums violate common sense, and yet here we are asked to decide in a 5-minute debate whether or not they are appropriate in this case.”