Conyers Praises Announcement of Commutation of Sentences and Pardons, Looks forward to Congressional Action on Criminal Justice Reform

Statement

Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released the following statement after the White House announced the commutation of the sentences of 95 individuals, including three in Michigan, and the pardoning of two individuals:

"I welcome and applaud the commutations and pardons announced today. Incarcerating people for unwarranted lengths of time serves no constructive purpose. The President has recognized this, as has Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and I hope the Administration's Clemency Project will continue to address the multitude of cases in which sentence reductions are appropriate.

"Of course, the need to engage in such a broad review of sentences exists largely because our sentencing laws and policies, particularly for drug offenses, urgently need to be changed. I am heartened that both the House and Senate are making progress, on a bipartisan basis, in the effort to address the problems of unfair sentencing and over-incarceration. I look forward to continued work on these issues in the new year."

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