Human Rights House passes bill to prevent trafficking of foster children The House took a significant step May 20 when it passed H.R. 4058, a bipartisan bill supported by the ABA to address the problem of sex trafficking and foster youth.
Federal Government ABA supports retroactive application of drug sentencing guidelines James E. Felman, the ABA’s liaison to the U.S. Sentencing Commission and chair-elect of the ABA Criminal Justice Section, testified at a June 10 commission hearing that the 2014 amendments to the drug sentencing guidelines should be applied retroactively.
Legislation & Lobbying ABA offers expertise for DOJ analysis of state death penalty protocols ABA President James R. Silkenat has offered the ABA’s assistance to U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. as the Justice Department undertakes, at President Obama’s request, an analysis of the current use of state death penalty and protocols and policies.
Bias & Discrimination ABA welcomes Supreme Court decision in Hall v. Florida ABA President James R. Silkenat last month welcomed the May 27 Supreme Court decision in Hall v. Florida, 572 U.S. ___ 2014, which held as unconstitutional Florida’s rigid 70-point IQ cutoff for determining whether an individual has intellectual disabilities that prohibit imposition of the death penalty.
Government Benefits ABA educates congressional and agency staff with mock SSA disability hearings on Capitol Hill Staff from various congressional office and federal agencies gathered on Capitol Hill May 20 for a mock Social Security Administration (SSA) disability appeals hearing sponsored by 10 ABA entities and coordinated by the ABA Standing Committee on Governmental Affairs. The free mock hearings, which have been offered since 2004, involve ABA volunteers portraying those who participate in SSA hearings.
Federal Government Congress weighs campaign finance proposals Hearings continued on Capitol Hill this spring on the impact of the Supreme Court’s April 2 decision abolishing limits on aggregate amounts that an individual may contribute to political candidates and political party committees.