April 12, 2021–Due Process Institute led a diverse, bipartisan coalition calling for Congress to pass the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law (EQUAL) Act. The Equal Act (S. 79, H.R. 1693) would end the federal prison sentence disparity between crack cocaine and powdered cocaine offenses, equalizing the treatment between the two in sentencing and reducing the ratio from 18:1 to 1:1. The bill would also importantly make this relief retroactive following individualized case review by federal courts in order to ensure the law has the intended restorative effects.
Furthermore, the EQUAL Act partially addresses the unjust punishments of the past and frees up resources for Congress to direct at violence reduction strategies, support for crime survivors, and other proven public safety interventions for underserved communities. We urge Chairman Durbin, Ranking Member Grassley, Chairman Nadler, Ranking Member Jordan, and the members of the respective committees to take swift action in supporting and passing this legislation.