Crime
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July 7, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.) sent a letter to the Chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission Patti Saris. This letter comes at the close of the Commission’s comment period on a “drugs minus two” amendment, a proposal that fixes a flaw in the sentencing guidelines that has resulted in excessive sentences for approximately 51,000 currently incarcerated federal drug offenders who have been sentenced since 1987. The Commission has acknowledged that since 1987 the drug guidelines have been higher than necessary for years, due to a miscalculation at the “low end” of the drug sentencing guidelines wherein a low level offense carriers a prison term higher than the mandatory minimum sentence.
Issues:Civil RightsCrimeJudiciary
June 6, 2014
By WAVY News 10
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – Congressman Bobby Scott put on held a forum for frustrated residents in Newport News Thursday night.
The town hall meeting was about gang violence prevention. People packed An Achievable Dream Middle and High School to be a part of it.
They wasted no time venting their frustrations to the audience and their representative, who was in town from Washington.
June 5, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations on the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on a recent Virginia delegation letter sent to Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe calling for a statewide task force to address the growing heroin epidemic in the Commonwealth.
Issues:Crime
June 3, 2014
NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott announced today that he will be hosting a Gang Violence Prevention Town Hall this Thursday, June 5, 2014 in Newport News.
Issues:Crime
May 20, 2014
Madam Speaker, while I support the bipartisan efforts we are taking today with several bills to enhance our effort to prevent, investigate, and prosecute acts of sex trafficking, I must raise serious concerns about H.R. 4225, the Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation Act of 2014, which I cannot support in its present form.
To be sure, the bill has the laudable goal of prosecuting those who knowingly facilitate sex trafficking by advertising certain prohibited sex acts. However, I must object to the mandatory minimum sentencing provisions which this new offense would trigger under existing statutes.
Issues:Crime
May 20, 2014
Madam Speaker, we come together today at the end of Sexual Assault Awareness Month to address sexual assault in its most harrowing context, the rape of a child.
Issues:Crime
May 20, 2014
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act of 2014 is another weapon in the bipartisan war against sex trafficking in this country.
I commend my colleagues, Representative Paulsen and Representative Moore, for introducing the legislation, which contains important victim-based initiatives to combat sex trafficking.
Issues:Crime
April 23, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Department of Justice Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole announced six criteria the Department of Justice will consider when reviewing and expediting clemency applications - for President Obama's review and approval- from a select group of non-violent individuals behind bars. These petitions will be prioritized for review over other clemency petitions that do not require all six criteria. In addition to announcing the new head of the Office of the Pardon Attorney, Attorney General Eric Holder announced his intention to increase the numbers of attorneys, with backgrounds in both prosecution and defense, to aid the permanent staff of the Pardon Office during this initiative. After the public announcements, U.S. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-Va.) issued the following statement:
April 7, 2014
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4323, the Debbie Smith Act, which was originally enacted in 2004. During Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we have the opportunity to take an important step in continuing a program that helps address the problem of sexual assault.
Issues:Crime
April 3, 2014
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, today I join my colleagues in recognizing the importance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual assault is far too prevalent in modern society. It is estimated one in five girls and one in twenty boys will be a victim of child sexual assault. Nearly a quarter of all women attending college will also become victims during their academic career.
Issues:Crime