Post Date: October 14, 2015 There will be two important events happening in Washington, DC next week — the U.S. Senate’s Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act (S. 2123) is starting to move! The first step to turn the Senate’s sentencing reform bill into a law is to have the bill reviewed and approved by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, a group of 20 Senators that meets regularly. But first, on October 19, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on sentencing reform. Experts will discuss the need to reform mandatory minimum sentencing laws, and Senators can ask and get answers to their questions. While members of the public won’t be allowed to speak, it is a good time to hear what the Senators think about the new bill — and if you live in the area and can attend in person, it’s a good opportunity to show that you support sentencing reform and want the bill to pass! Then, on October 22, the Senate Judiciary Committee will review the bill, vote on whether to make any changes to it, and vote on whether to send the final bill to the full U.S. Senate. The full details of the events are below. If you can’t come to Washington for the hearing and markup in person, you can watch them online. BILL HEARING When: Monday, October 19, 2015 3:00-4:30 p.m. ET Where: Hart Senate Office Building, Room 216 Located on Constitution Avenue between 1st and 2nd Streets NE Washington, DC 20002 BILL REVIEW When: Thursday, October 22, 2015 10:00 a.m. ET Where: Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 226 Located on Constitution Avenue between 1st and 2nd Streets NE (next to the Hart Building) Washington, DC 20002 If you plan to attend the event in person, please arrive early — you will have to go through a security check to enter the building. Also, please bring a color photo of your incarcerated loved one (if you have one) no bigger than 8 by 10 inches in size, please. It’s important for Senators to see and remember the real people being impacted by what they do in Washington, DC. If you cannot attend in person, you can still watch online! At the times listed above, visit the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee website at http://www.judiciary.senate.gov. Look for and click on the link at the top of the webpage to watch these events live on October 19 and October 22. This is still just the first step to making the bill a law — but it’s an important one, and we want you to be part of it. Thank you for your help and support over the years — we got here today because of you! Best, Molly Molly Gill, Government Affairs Counsel