United States Parole Commission Extension and Sentencing Commission Authority Act of 2005

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 1368) to extend the existence of the Parole Commission, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 1368, the Senate bill currently under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1368, the United States Parole Commission Extension and Sentencing Commission Authority Act of 2005. This bill extends the Parole Commission for an additional 3 years and provides the Sentencing Commission with authority to adopt emergency guideline changes for obstruction of justice and anabolic steroids offenses.

Congress initially created the Parole Commission in 1976. However, with the creation of Federal sentencing guidelines, the Parole Commission was slated to expire 5 years after the new sentencing system was implemented.

Since the enactment of the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, Congress has extended the Parole Commission on several occasions. Without further congressional action, the Parole Commission is currently scheduled to expire on October 31, 2005.

The Parole Commission is responsible for handling parole cases for offenders who were sentenced prior to the enactment of the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, which created the Sentencing Commission, and eventually led to the elimination of Federal parole for offenders sentenced after 1987. Additionally, in 1997, the Parole Commission was assigned responsibility for supervising offenders in the District of Columbia, which were previously supervised by the D.C. Board of Parole. Enacting this bill is necessary in order for the Parole Commission to continue to carry on these important functions.

The provisions in this bill relating to the Sentencing Commission's authority are needed to ensure that the Commission can expeditiously adopt new sentencing guidelines pursuant to two laws enacted during the previous Congress. Under this legislation, the Sentencing Commission will have 60 days to implement the new sentencing guidelines of section 6703 of the Intelligence Reform Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which increases penalties for obstruction of justice offenses involving international or domestic terrorism.

Additionally, this legislation directs the Commission within 180 days to amend the Federal sentencing guidelines to reflect the seriousness of steroid offenses in accordance with the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004. Granting emergency amendment authority to the Commission in these two areas will permit the Commission to promulgate appropriate amendments as quickly as possible.

I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, S. 1368, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent, is identical to H.R. 3020, which was reported out of the Committee on the Judiciary by voice vote without apparent opposition.

For the reasons outlined by the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, the bill will reauthorize the U.S. Parole Commission for an additional 3 years. It will also give the Sentencing Commission emergency authority to promulgate sentencing guidelines which will implement sentencing policies reflective of recent changes in Federal law relating to sentencing in areas of obstruction of justice and anabolic steroids. Both provisions are necessary to continue to properly implement Federal sentencing laws, and I, therefore, urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 1368, introduced earlier today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.