Press Releases

Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) voted today in support of bipartisan legislation to reform America's criminal justice system. 

"In the Georgia General Assembly, I was proud to work with Governor Nathan Deal on this important issue," said Carter. "Georgia has been a leader and an example for the rest of the nation in effective criminal justice reform. I'm glad to see the federal government has followed Georgia's lead today. This legislation will work to reduce recidivism and reform some sentencing laws while increasing community safety. Our criminal justice system should work to rehabilitate citizens so they can again become productive members of society and this legislation will work towards that goal."

The First Step Act passed the United States House of Representative today and will now go to President Trump to be signed into law. 

The First Step Act is supported by many law enforcement, religious and conservative organizations. This includes the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National District Attorney’s Association, Former Federal Prosecutors, FreedomWorks, Faith & Freedom Coalition, Prison Fellowship, American Conservative Union, American Correctional Association, Americans for Prosperity, Charles Koch Institute, Heritage Action, Right on Crime, Texas Public Policy Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, and more.

According to the House Judiciary Committee, the legislation will:

Reduce Recidivism and Increase Public Safety: The bill creates a risk and needs assessment system that will ensure each prisoner’s risk of re-offending is assessed. 

• Provides evidence-based recidivism reduction programming for federal prisoners;
• Provides incentives to federal prisoners for participating in First Step programming, including the earning of time credits towards a pre-release custody at a halfway house or home confinement; and
• Excludes violent and high risk criminals, including fentanyl traffickers, from using time credits.

Reform Select Sentencing Laws: Under the First Step Act, sentencing is made fairer through narrow reforms. 

• Clarifies that enhanced penalties for using a firearm during a crime of violence or drug crime should be reserved for repeat offenders of such crimes;
• Reduces the three-strike penalty for non-violent drug offenses from life imprisonment to 25 years;
• Broadens mandatory penalties for serious violent offenders;
• Expands the existing federal safety valve to include more low-level, non-violent offenders and maintains safeguards to prohibit violent criminals from potentially benefitting from reduced sentences.

Reauthorize the Second Chance Act of 2007: The First Step Act reauthorizes and streamlines eight Second Chance Act programs and repeals four that have not been funded by Congress.