Crime
More on 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4323, the Debbie Smith Act, which was originally enacted in 2004.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.
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.
January 30, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC – Reps. Raúl Labrador (R-ID) and Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), authors of H.R. 3382, theSmarter Sentencing Act, commended the Senate Judiciary Committee today for approving S. 1410, the Senate version of the bill. The Smarter Sentencing Act would reform criminal sentencing laws, empowering judges to make individualized assessments in nonviolent drug cases. This would ensure that limited resources are focused on the most serious offenders, while maintaining public safety.
Issues:Civil Rights
January 30, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC – Reps. Raúl Labrador (R-ID) and Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), authors of H.R. 3382, theSmarter Sentencing Act, commended the Senate Judiciary Committee today for approving S. 1410, the Senate version of the bill. The Smarter Sentencing Act would reform criminal sentencing laws, empowering judges to make individualized assessments in nonviolent drug cases. This would ensure that limited resources are focused on the most serious offenders, while maintaining public safety.
Issues:Civil Rights
December 19, 2013
NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Today, President Obama commuted the sentences of eight federal inmates serving lengthy time behind bars for nonviolent offenses related to crack cocaine under an older sentencing regime. This decision follows the implementation in 2011 of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, landmark criminal justice legislation that reduced mandatory minimum sentences for crack offenses and minimized the arbitrary disparity between crack and powder cocaine.
Issues:Civil Rights