New Video Launched on House Judiciary Committee's Criminal Justice Reform Initiative

Washington, D.C.  – The House Judiciary Committee released a new video on its bipartisan criminal justice reform initiative. The Committee is taking a step-by-step approach to criminal justice reform to ensure that our federal criminal laws and regulations appropriately punish wrongdoers, are effectively and appropriately enforced, protect individual freedom, safeguard civil liberties, work as efficiently as possible, do not impede state efforts, and do not waste taxpayer dollars. Below is a transcript of House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte’s (R-Va.) remarks. Chairman Goodlatte: There is a growing consensus across the political spectrum that our criminal justice system is in need of reform. Over the past few decades, the federal criminal code has expanded dramatically, creating an ever-increasing maze of federal laws and regulations. Republicans and Democrats don’t always agree on everything, but we do agree that criminal justice reform is not a liberal or conservative issue; it’s an American issue. As Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, I announced a bipartisan criminal justice reform initiative. We are pursuing responsible, common sense reforms to ensure our criminal justice system reflects core American values. We want to make sure our federal laws and regulations effectively and appropriately punish wrongdoers, protect individual freedom, safeguard civil liberties, work as efficiently and fairly as possible, do not impede state efforts, and do not waste taxpayer dollars. Through the Committee’s initiative, we are addressing issues such as over-criminalization, sentencing reform, prison and reentry reform, improved criminal procedures and policing strategies, and civil asset forfeiture reform. To learn more about the House Judiciary Committee’s work on criminal justice reform, visit /index.cfm/criminal-justice-reform-initiative