HELP Act of 2016

Support S. 178. Oppose mandatory minimum sentences Support restoring proportionality to drug sentencing. Support promotion and adequately fund recidivism reduction and reentry programming. Support making sentencing reductions retroactive. Support expanding the Bureau of Prison's Compassionate Release Program. Support expanding time credits for good behavior. Comments on Juvenile Justice Provisions of ESSA implementation: urge prompt and appropriate access to a quality education and the success of students involved in and reentering from the juvenile justice system through the development of effective regulations and guidance as well as other activities to fully implement reauthorization of Title I, Part D in ESSA. Support the BOP's providing voter eligibility information to all upon release from prison or jail. Support continued federal funding of innocence and forensic science programs at the Department of Justice and the National Institute of Standards and Technology at the Department of Commerce in the final FY 2017 appropriations bill. Support S. 502/H.R. 920 Support H.R. 1232 Support a significant increase funding for federal programs that address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking Support H.R. 1255 Support H.R. 1253 / S. 467 Support S. 772 / H.R. 1459 Support requiring universal background checks on all gun sales Support a ban on military-style semi automatic assault guns Support a ban on high capacity ammunition clips Support tough new criminal penalties for straw purchasers and gun traffickers Support "no fly-no buy" gun proposals Support executive action to ensure that both federal agencies and federal contractors are leading the way to making employment opportunities available for qualified job-seekers who have an arrest or conviction in their past. Support S. 295 Oppose the federal death penalty support federal support for local law enforcement agencies to purchase video surveillance equipment such as body cameras, gun cameras, dashboard cameras, and taser cameras Support the establishment of independent, effective civilian review boards for all levels of law enforcement Support legislation to review racial disparities in decisions by prosecutors Support the creation of uniform use of force standards for law enforcement officials. Support aggressive, comprehensive reform of civil asset forfeiture laws. Oppose H.R. 1927 Promote employment of body worn cameras by law enforcement officers which also promotes and protect civil rights and civil liberties. Support S. 1119 / H.R. 2330 Support S. 1133 / H.R.2087 Support HR 2875 / s. 2168 Support HR 1933 / S 1056 Support HR 1124 Support HR 2197/ S. 1770 Support HR 2944 Support S. 1169 / HR 2728 Support S. 1513 / H.R. 3406; support full funding for the Second Chance Act Support H Res 262 Support HR 2302 Support H Res 295 Support the inclusion of funding for Juvenile Justice Programs through the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Program (JJDPA) in the House Appropriations Bill for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and Science and related Agencies for FY 2017 Support S. 255 / H.R. 540 Oppose a new five-year mandatory minimum sentence for illegal reentry. Support S 2168 Support HR 1124 Support HR 3470 / S 2021 Urge Congress to allocate a sufficient new 302(b) allocation for the FY 2017 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies appropriations bill so that criminal and juvenile justice grant programs can be adequately funded. Support HR 2521 Support strengthening and passing H.R. 3713 / s 2123 Oppose anti-Muslim, Islamophobic rhetoric, actions, and legislation. Ensure that the Department of Justice is as tough as possible in protecting an individual's right to vote in light if the elimination of Se4ction V of the 1065 Voting Rights Act Oppose HR 712 Oppose HR 1927 Support Cornyn / Leahy amendment to the Justice for All Act which strengthens the Prison Rape Elimination Act Support the FCC exerting its authority and safeguarding consumers both inside and outside prisons by addressing the following issues put forward in the most recent NPRM: 1) advanced communications, including video visitation; 2) international calling rates; 3) the communications rights of deaf, hard of hearing, and disabled inmates; 4) ensuring the limits on ancillary fees are effective for all communications; and 5) regular data collection in the prison communications industry. Oppose H.R. 766. Support Operation Choke Point. Support President Obama speaking at the UNGASS on the world drug problem. Support providing the FY17 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations (CJS) bill with the highest 302(b) allocation possible to ensure adequate funding for key criminal and juvenile justice grant programs within the bill.Support a strong implementation of the Holder Rule, which says that when a seller of a good or service originates or helps arrange credit, the consumer is allowed to raise the sellers misconduct as a basis for bringing claims or defenses against the entity holding the debt. Support the investigation into the continued and largely unregulated use of Stingrays by law enforcement officials, to remedy the lack of data and transparency about these devices, and to act swiftly to prevent the disproportionate harms that the use of these devices by law enforcement officials can pose to historically disadvantaged communities. Support OJP to a) condition federal criminal justice grants on data collection and reporting on police-civilian encounters and b) provide regulations on the implementation of the Deaths in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA). Support H.R. 4364 Oppose refusal by some Senators to give fair consideration to any Supreme Court nomination until after the next President is sworn into office on January 20, 2017. Support funding for several programs related to child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking in FY 2017 Labor-HHS-Education funding bill. Support funding for several programs related to child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking in FY 2017 Transportation-HUD funding bill. Specifically, $33,000,000 to fund comprehensive continuum of care projects for homeless and runaway youth. Support a stronger US position at the UN General Assembly on the World Drug Problem on: acknowledging the ramifications of new drug policies; standing up for human rights; calling for a people-centered approach to drug policy; taking a stronger stance on criminal justice reform; and ensuring an open dialog between all interested parties. Support adequate funding for critical juvenile justice and delinquency prevention programs in the final Fiscal Year 2017 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations bill. Support adequate funding for innocence and forensic science programs in FY 17. Specifically, $5 million for the DoJ Wrongful Conviction Review Program; $5 million for the Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing Program; $14 million for the Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grant Program; $5 million for the DoJ National Commission on Forensic Science; and $15 million for NIST Oppose S 2576 Support an increase in funding for programs that serve victims of sexual assault and domestic violence (including VAWA, VOC, and FVPSA) in FY 2017. Support HR 4611 Support the Equal Justice Under Law Act. Support H.R. 3406 Support S 2123 / HR 3713 with the following improvements: The increased use of evidence-based sentencing alternatives, including drug, Veteran, and mental health courts; Reducing recidivism through educational and job training opportunities for prisoners while they are incarcerated (this includes restoring Pell grant eligibility to prisoners); A concentration on using prison space for career or violent criminals; The elimination of all mandatory minimum sentences, and an increase in judicial discretion; and In depth reports to Congress by the Department of Justice on the extent to which reforms have addressed both over-incarceration and racial disparities. Oppose backlog of judicial nominees Support Sec. Burwell speaking at UNGASS Support executive order prohibiting federal contractors from asking about past criminal records on job application Oppose current policy which allows children to go through the immigration court process without the benefit of counsel. Oppose HR 1927 Support Moore (WI) equal pay and fair housing amendments to HR 1927 Support Conyers amendment to HR 1927 Support rule banning forced arbitration for students victimized by for-profit institutions Oppose Anti-Transgender Initiatives Support proposed DoE / DoJ guidance on Title IX on the rights of trans students in schools Support H.R.5100, S.2874 Conditional support for HR 5283. Support bringing HR 5283 to the floor for consideration prior to Summer break and strengthening it to include the Equitable Sharing program Oppose Ayotte amendments S. AMDT. 4082 and S. AMDT. 4083 to S. 2943. Support investigating the arrest and indictment of disproportionately Asian American scientists Support treating the drug problem as a health issue Support the Baldwin, Mikulski, and Hirono Amendment to the FY 2017 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act which would add necessary funds for the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division (CRT) and its Community Relations Service (CRS) to prevent hate crimes and to effectively investigate and prosecute them when they occur. Support OPM proposed rule on Recruitment, Selection, and Placement (General) and Suitability Support HR 4752 Support S.1513/H.R.3406. Support Senate hearings on President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Support HR 5124 Support HR 2302 Support S 2584 / HR 5067 Support greater accountability of schools serving students involved in the juvenile justice system in ESSA regulations. Support Department of Justice efforts to establish standards, grounded in sound science, for laboratory reports and testimony based on specific forensic disciplines. Oppose predictive policing Support the conditioning of federal criminal justice grants on data collection and reporting on police-civilian encounters under the promulgation of the Death In Custody Reporting Act Support funding levels for innocence and forensic science programs as found in the Senate FY17 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Support HR 5963 Support strong, enforceable guidelines to ensure that School Resource Officers respect the civil rights of students. Support HR 6211 Support S. 2854 / H.R. 5067 Support S. 3144 / H.R. 5124 Support HR 4754 Support S.1513/H.R.3406 Oppose HR 3537 Oppose HR 6158 Support increased oversight of the use of the FBIs face recognition technology Support S 2123; support it being considered during lame duck Support hearings and a vote on Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland ASAP Oppose Jeff Sessions for US Attorney General Support expansion of presidential clemency of non-violent drug offenders Support HR 5963 Support S 2854 Oppose HR 3537 Support S.1513/H.R.3406.