Statement by Wade Henderson on House Passage of the Fair Sentencing Act

“Today’s vote of the House of Representatives approving the Fair Sentencing Act to reduce disparities in cocaine sentencing represents a significant step forward for greater fairness in our criminal justice system and, hopefully, the start of a more rational approach to dealing with our nation’s drug laws.

While the bill doesn’t completely eliminate the unjust and unjustifiable disparity between sentences for crack and powder cocaine that has decimated African-American communities across the nation, it will go a long way toward alleviating some of the pain felt in these communities by providing more equitable sentences to low-level crack users and relief to those now serving disproportionately long sentences.

The overwhelming bipartisan support in the House and the Senate for the Fair Sentencing Act is a notable triumph given the all-too-frequent politicization of our drug laws. However, the hard truth remains that any disparity in cocaine sentencing is both morally wrong and corrosive to the public trust that sustains our criminal justice system. The Leadership Conference is fully committed to redoubling its efforts to seek the complete elimination of the sentencing disparity – the only fair and just solution.”