EQUAL Act of 2021
Summary
Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act of 2021 or the EQUAL Act of 2021 This bill eliminates the federal sentencing disparity between drug offenses involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Currently, different threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine (e.g., 28 grams of crack cocaine and 500 grams of powder cocaine) trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. This bill eliminates the lower quantity thresholds for crack cocaine offenses. Under the bill, the same threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. The change applies to future cases and cases pending on the date of enactment. With respect to past cases, the bill authorizes a sentencing court to impose a reduced sentence on a defendant who was convicted or sentenced for a specified crack cocaine offense before this bill's enactment. A defendant does not have to be present at the sentence reduction hearing. Finally, the bill prohibits the reduction of a sentence that was previously reduced.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2021
Committee Review
Sep 2021
House Passage
Sep 2021
Senate Passage
President
Introduced Mar 9, 2021
Last action Sep 29, 2021
Floor votes · House Sep 28, 2021
How they voted
361–66
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 431
Sep 28, 2021
D
Democratic219
99% Yea
R
Republican212
67% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
19
Key actions
5
Committee
8
Amendments
3
Sep 29, 2021
Committee
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
upper
Sep 28, 2021
Introduced
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 361 - 66 (Roll no. 297). (text: CR H5477)
lower
Sep 28, 2021
Lower · Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 361 - 66 (Roll no. 297).(text: CR H5477)
lower
Sep 28, 2021
Introduced
Mr. Nadler moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
lower
Sep 27, 2021
Lower · Passed
Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
lower
Sep 27, 2021
Lower · Passed
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 117-128, Part I.
lower
Jul 21, 2021
Introduced
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
lower
Jul 21, 2021
Lower · Passed
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
lower
Jul 21, 2021
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Discharged.
lower
May 18, 2021
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
lower
Mar 10, 2021
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
lower
Mar 9, 2021
Committee
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
lower
Mar 9, 2021
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 56 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Hakeem S. Jeffries
DDemocratic
Co
Adam B. Schiff
DDemocratic
Co
Adriano Espaillat
DDemocratic
Co
Ashley Hinson
RRepublican
Co
Barry Moore
RRepublican
Co
Brendan F. Boyle
DDemocratic
Co
Burgess Owens
RRepublican
Co
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
RRepublican
Co
Dan Crenshaw
RRepublican
Co
David J. Trone
DDemocratic
Co
David N. Cicilline
DDemocratic
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