Patrick Leahy actually said...

"Many States, led by Senator Hirono's home State of Hawaii's example, the HOPE program, have implemented parole systems that impose 'swift and certain' sanctions."

"Those are not choices my colleagues wish to make. Those are not smart choices."

"In Rhode Island, under the leadership of Director Wall, we passed reforms that allowed inmates to earn credit toward their sentences."

"I think the main drivers of this prison growth are front-end sentencing laws that were enacted by us in Congress, like the proliferation of mandatory minimum sentences."