UNITED STATES PAROLE COMMISSION EXTENSION ACT OF 2011

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia: Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2944, which will extend the United States Parole Commission's authority for an additional 3 years. The current authority is set to expire October 31, 2011.

Although Federal parole was abolished with the passage of the Sentencing Reform Act effective November 1, 1987, those sentenced for an offense committed prior to the effect of the date of the abolition, and those sentences that have not yet been completed, remain eligible for parole.

Moreover, the Parole Commission has jurisdiction over other offenders, including the Uniform Code of Military Justice offenders and those under transfer treaties between the United States and other countries. Currently there are over 1,000 parole-eligible prisoners under the Commission authority.

The Sentencing Reform Act requires that release dates be set for all remaining offenders eligible for parole prior to the expiration of the Parole Commission. The Department of Justice is concerned that if the Commission's current authority is allowed to expire, Federal offenders who were sentenced for offenses committed prior to November 1, 1987, will begin to file motions for release under the Sentencing Reform Act, since the act requires such offenders to be given release dates 3 to 6 months prior to the expiration of the commission. We are now beyond that period at this point and no release dates have been set.

For this reason, it is important that we extend the U.S. Parole Commission's authority as soon as possible. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and thank the chairman of the committee, the gentleman from Texas, for his leadership.