September 17, 2021
Pressley Joins Bush, Colleagues Urging President Biden to Commute Sentences of Individuals Released Due to COVID-19
“This moment in history can be a defining one for criminal-legal reform, and following actions by Congress last year, granting clemency for thousands of people will move us closer to our ideals of liberty and justice,” the members wrote. “Nearly all of those released have thrived since returning home by reconnecting with their families and communities, and by engaging actively in civic life. As government officials who care deeply about ending cycles of incarceration, we urge your administration to save lives by not returning people on home confinement back to prison. Mr. President, with a stroke of your pen you could remove the threat of reincarceration that looms over thousands of people who have already demonstrated their commitment to being productive members of their communities.”
“Clemency is a constitutional imperative. Granting commutations to those on home confinement and restructuring the clemency process demonstrates genuine compassion, while ensuring that our country continues to mitigate the risks of COVID-19, particularly in the populations that are most vulnerable to its spread,” the members continued. “As Members of Congress who care deeply about ending systemic and racial injustice in our criminal legal system, and who are willing to do everything possible to ensure every community is safe from the deadly consequences of this pandemic, we stand ready to work with you.”