1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited as the Drug Sentencing Reform Act of
2007
.
(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of
contents.
Title I—Reduction of disparity in sentencing
between crack and powder cocaine
Sec. 101. Reduction in disparity in
sentencing between crack and powder cocaine.
Sec. 102. Sentencing guideline conforming
changes and enhancements for acts of violence during the course of a drug
trafficking offense.
Title II—Increased emphasis on the
defendant’s role in the offense
Sec. 201. Increase in sentence for
leadership role in drug offense.
Sec. 202. Limit on sentence when defendant
has lesser role in the offense.
Sec. 203. Elderly, nonviolent prisoner
pilot program.
Sec. 204. Emergency amendment authority;
effective date.
<enum>I</enum><header>Reduction of
disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine</header>
<section id="ID985D9BF999DE432EB5E8248D8BA72852"><enum>101.</enum><header>Reduction in
disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine</header>
<subsection id="IDB62E6D43258F4F989642FBC87CCBFC07"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Amendment of
the <act-name parsable-cite="CSA">Controlled Substances
Act</act-name></header><text><external-xref legal-doc="act" parsable-cite="CSA/401">Section 401</external-xref> of the
<act-name parsable-cite="CSA">Controlled Substances Act</act-name>
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/21/841">21 U.S.C.
841</external-xref>) is amended as follows:</text>
<paragraph id="IDD5A3A665359F4E0FA123A153E3C38353"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Ten-year
mandatory minimum</header>
<subparagraph id="IDC4D1AA01143C4118BD5689F640B000CE"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Decrease in
amount of powder cocaine necessary to trigger mandatory
minimum</header><text>In subsection (b)(1)(A)(ii) by striking <quote>5
kilograms</quote> and inserting <quote>4 kilograms</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID097102D9EFA1446187CA398BF79BAB32"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Increase in
amount of crack cocaine necessary to trigger mandatory minimum</header><text>In
subsection (b)(1)(A)(iii) by striking <quote>50 grams</quote> and inserting
<quote>200 grams</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="IDB020B100D3074348B4B56584A312FBE2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Five-year
mandatory minimum</header>
<subparagraph id="ID2D49CA6FC2B54E1A9B6006578FF4E732"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Decrease in
amount of powder cocaine necessary to trigger mandatory
minimum</header><text>In subsection (b)(1)(B)(ii) by striking <quote>500
grams</quote> and inserting <quote>400 grams</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID15B4A21F29204B43915DFF34A55E9201"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Increase in
amount of crack cocaine necessary to trigger mandatory minimum</header><text>In
subsection (b)(1)(B)(iii) by striking <quote>5 grams</quote> and inserting
<quote>20 grams</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID65F30BFEA8F042D5A544E367C0FB01A8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Amendment of
the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act</header><text>Section 1010 of
the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/21/960">21 U.S.C. 960</external-xref>) is amended as
follows:</text>
<paragraph id="IDC7C874E7A56546DB9B7DA63334F027AF"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Ten-year
mandatory minimum</header>
<subparagraph id="IDF27B5854B8D34D9CA347598820772CF3"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Decrease in
amount of powder cocaine necessary to trigger mandatory
minimum</header><text>In subsection (b)(1)(B) by striking <quote>5
kilograms</quote> and inserting <quote>4 kilograms</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDAC8E7E1F568049DCB6B4BCBD337EF43D"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Increase in
amount of crack cocaine necessary to trigger mandatory minimum</header><text>In
subsection (b)(1)(C) by striking <quote>50 grams</quote> and inserting
<quote>200 grams</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="ID0F5C8280DE044E87A91D1554C8E6D388"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Five-year
mandatory minimum</header>
<subparagraph id="ID6B23DBD0E2604623BB8D81CFBCAB62FF"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Decrease in
amount of powder cocaine necessary to trigger mandatory
minimum</header><text>In subsection (b)(2)(B) by striking <quote>500
grams</quote> and inserting <quote>400 grams</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID0D9153940069479C851EEE8E258C006E"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Increase in
amount of crack cocaine necessary to trigger mandatory minimum</header><text>In
subsection (b)(2)(C) by striking <quote>5 grams</quote> and inserting <quote>20
grams</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID9BAA9513CEC94CAEAD4B1EB5205266BE"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming
change to penalty for possession</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="act" parsable-cite="CSA/404(a)">Section 404(a)</external-xref> of the
<act-name parsable-cite="CSA">Controlled Substances Act</act-name>
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/21/844(a)">21 U.S.C.
844(a)</external-xref>) is amended in the fifth sentence by striking <quote>5
years</quote> and inserting <quote>1 year</quote>.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="ID8E153137C2AA49DE9B793F2B9E459730"><enum>102.</enum><header>Sentencing
guideline conforming changes and enhancements for acts of violence during the
course of a drug trafficking offense</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Pursuant to its authority under section 994
of title 28, United States Code, and in accordance with this section, the
United States Sentencing Commission shall review and amend the Federal
sentencing guidelines and policy statements to ensure—</text>
<paragraph id="IDDD5FD67A27034E9786F1081768B91FD9"><enum>(1)</enum><text>that guideline
offense levels based upon the quantity of powder cocaine and crack cocaine are
consistent with the amendments made by section 101; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID7225EAD6CB264410BA20E16D68801EAB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>that the
guidelines provide an appropriate additional penalty increase of from 2 to 8
offense levels if the defendant used violence, made a credible threat to use
violence, directed the use or threatened use of violence, or possessed a
firearm, or other dangerous weapon, during the course of a drug trafficking
offense.</text>
</paragraph></section><enum>II</enum><header>Increased
emphasis on the defendant’s role in the offense</header>
<section id="ID8E2B0B8E5E4945AABC25CA4DCA62BDA4"><enum>201.</enum><header>Increase in
sentence for leadership role in drug offense</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Pursuant to its authority under section 994
of title 28, United States Code, and in accordance with this section, the
United States Sentencing Commission shall review and amend the Federal
sentencing guidelines and policy statements to ensure an additional increase of
at least 2 offense levels if—</text>
<paragraph id="ID820EA93462D8473DBBC5B800E933BBE3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the defendant, as
an organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of drug trafficking activity, is
subject to an aggravating role enhancement under the guidelines; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID9A0ECE2A16354105B29B5F89FA001C08"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the offense
involved 1 or more of the following super-aggravating factors—</text>
<subparagraph id="ID7BC2C0E0D11743FD826224C4D49F85BC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the
defendant—</text>
<clause id="idBB5784A293E54E61A89C81FAA1CA9388"><enum>(i)</enum><text>used another
person to purchase, sell, transport, or store controlled substances;</text>
</clause><clause id="idEBD6A295BFAC423E8A23ECA8AC07D0DB"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>used impulse,
fear, friendship, affection, or some combination thereof to involve such person
in the offense;</text>
</clause><clause id="idD8CD53C33E6548AC91DDD3127904010F"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>and such person
had a minimum knowledge of the illegal enterprise and was to receive little or
no compensation from the illegal transaction;</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID59BB4BF002354525A0AF64B778B6CC8F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the defendant
maintained an establishment for the manufacture or distribution of a controlled
substance, as generally described in
<external-xref legal-doc="act" parsable-cite="CSA/406">section
406</external-xref> of the <act-name parsable-cite="CSA">Controlled Substances
Act</act-name> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/21/856">21
U.S.C. 856</external-xref>);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID15DA813C3AC444D5B5E58B36991642A3"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the
defendant—</text>
<clause id="id860C65B1F6AB41AF9B2E3B5A144103CB"><enum>(i)</enum><text>distributed a
controlled substance to a person under the age of 18 years, a person over the
age of 64 years, or a pregnant individual; or</text>
</clause><clause id="id9212174A5B9F443B979E48CB1ACA8EE4"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>involved a
person under the age of 18 years, a person over the age of 64 years, or a
pregnant individual in drug trafficking;</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID4349ED06512C4DDE0091E8E76CA3587F"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the defendant
bribed, or attempted to bribe, a Federal, State, or local law enforcement
official in connection with a drug trafficking offense;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID23025132F3E948950000FEBE01EDF62E"><enum>(E)</enum><text>the defendant was
involved in the importation into the United States of a controlled substance;
or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID27ADF8F1672347979DA3AC6643A68179"><enum>(F)</enum><text>the defendant
committed the drug trafficking offense as part of a pattern of criminal conduct
engaged in as a livelihood.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></section><section id="ID4CB54DDF22FE4FC9BCD5844BF7F5D800"><enum>202.</enum><header>Limit on
sentence when defendant has lesser role in the offense</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Pursuant to its authority under section 994
of title 28, United States Code, and in accordance with this section, the
United States Sentencing Commission shall review and amend, as appropriate, the
Federal sentencing guidelines and policy statements to ensure that—</text>
<paragraph id="ID9E813916730449AF8603D72EA13F8149"><enum>(1)</enum><text>if the defendant
is subject to a minimal role adjustment under the guidelines, the base offense
level for such a defendant based solely on drug quantity shall not exceed level
32; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID29C2B39E964541B2AEB81B433B8C593C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>there shall be an
additional reduction of 2 offense levels, if the defendant—</text>
<subparagraph id="id596A38804EC040F69E361ADE7100D182"><enum>(A)</enum><text>otherwise
qualifies for a minimal role adjustment under the guidelines and had a minimum
knowledge of the illegal enterprise;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idB440075ABC064759AE3C45FAF887B6D2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>was to receive
little or no compensation from the illegal transaction; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idCD1552013C7D4183BB6519FE8CB06894"><enum>(C)</enum><text>acted on impulse,
fear, friendship, or affection when the defendant was otherwise unlikely to
commit such an offense.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></section><section id="ID8C99A4765D954E8F852791CD4BDC35E1"><enum>203.</enum><header>Elderly,
nonviolent prisoner pilot program</header>
<subsection id="ID2800B4970B5045A1A5507FE0102BDD4F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In
this section:</text>
<paragraph id="ID7EF6137A3D594038A8A5FD22FD3CFF59"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Crime of
violence</header><text>The term <term>crime of violence</term> has the meaning
given the term in section 16 of title 18, United States Code.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID2BC60F72B2E24DB8A76764BD25DD7400"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Designated
facility</header><text>The term <term>designated facility</term> means a
Federal penitentiary designated by the Attorney General as appropriate for the
pilot program.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDF6AA337FD9F74914B803F166FAC1C953"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Director</header><text>The
term <term>Director</term> means the Director of the Bureau of Prisons.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDD66CF6693D0D416DB089A1990039BBEB"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Eligible
prisoner</header><text>The term <term>eligible prisoner</term> means a prisoner
in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons who—</text>
<subparagraph id="IDB17FDEEED5994981A731F3B63F73A3A2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is not less than
65 years of age;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID2DFD8C965E6641FE8399169CE93B44FB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>is serving a term
of imprisonment after conviction for an offense other than a crime of violence
and has served the greater of 10 years or <fraction>1/2</fraction> of the term
of imprisonment;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID20240D80B7B94EF9AD4279001B4CDB89"><enum>(C)</enum><text>has not been
convicted in the past of any Federal or State crime of violence;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDEEE81BC22AA5463586B2F0790051CEF8"><enum>(D)</enum><text>has not been
determined by the Bureau of Prisons, on the basis of information the Bureau
uses to make custody classifications, and in the sole discretion of the Bureau,
to have a history of violence;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID55ED8FA20CF04BA18C5CC6D93905BDC4"><enum>(E)</enum><text>has not escaped,
or attempted to escape, from a Bureau of Prisons facility; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID6DAED2C991384B198ED7572DB07D8F13"><enum>(F)</enum><text>has not been
determined by the Director, pursuant to the disciplinary system of the Bureau
of Prisons, to have committed an infraction involving an act of
violence.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="IDB10848923BAA44958F5D1D9400E86B6E"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Home
detention</header><text>The term <term>home detention</term> has the same
meaning given the term in the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, and includes
detention in a nursing home or other residential long-term care
facility.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID6785B3982096462A8B54E916B4171450"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Pilot
program</header><text>The term <term>pilot program</term> means the pilot
program carried out in accordance with this section.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDC32E4181DAF84427BB9BB6751D40A2DD"><enum>(7)</enum><header>Term of
imprisonment</header><text>The term <term>term of imprisonment</term> includes
multiple terms of imprisonment ordered to run consecutively or concurrently,
which shall be treated as a single, aggregate term of imprisonment for purposes
of this section.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID5C76D7D63122449D909FA1F4D0CB7573"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Program
established</header>
<paragraph id="IDCACC3094D94A44DAA75D6D5408A1FA35"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Notwithstanding section 3624 of title 18, United States
Code, or any other provision of law, the Director shall carry out a pilot
program at 1 or more designated facilities, under which the Director shall, in
accordance with paragraph (2), place each prisoner who is determined to be an
eligible prisoner on home detention until the date on which the term of
imprisonment to which the eligible prisoner was sentenced expires.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID0915940537834429A34E8CF96F094200"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Timing of
release</header><text>In carrying out the pilot program, the Director shall
place an eligible prisoner on home detention under paragraph (1)—</text>
<subparagraph id="IDB8B0358C26BD40F2B3856C9B853C04A4"><enum>(A)</enum><text>with respect to a
prisoner who is determined to be an eligible prisoner on or before the date
that is 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, not later than 180
days after the date of enactment of this Act; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID82931DFAA0C64760AF7C0466D7DD4B00"><enum>(B)</enum><text>with respect to a
prisoner who is determined to be an eligible prisoner after the date that is 90
days after the date of enactment of this Act and before the date that is 3
years and 91 days after such date of enactment, not later than 90 days after
the date of such determination.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="ID80564832D8424AD78D6299B32DBA7549"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Violation of
terms of home detention</header><text>A violation of the terms of the home
detention, including the commission of another Federal, State, or local crime,
shall result in the return of an eligible prisoner to the form of custody of
that prisoner prior to being placed on home detention.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID9225125538EF46B894C2358723CDC969"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Program
evaluation</header>
<paragraph id="ID80A22FADC28D4282848D5939E5080089"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Director shall contract with an independent
organization to monitor and evaluate the progress of each prisoner released
under the pilot program during the 3-year period beginning on the date of such
release.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDA5C69D334CA44B3082EE00001D06CBD2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Annual
report</header><text>The organization described in paragraph (1) shall annually
submit to the Director and to Congress a report on the pilot program, which
shall include—</text>
<subparagraph id="ID8A48138A3F154687B309B907B8EBE71C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>an evaluation of
the effectiveness of the pilot program in providing successful transition to
eligible prisoners from incarceration to the community, including data relating
to the recidivism rates for those prisoners; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDFF437D32B1024653B3EAD9DCD40094D1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the cost savings
to the Federal Government resulting from the early removal of eligible
prisoners from incarceration.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="IDE7CD84F710074F90853229A41286A6A9"><enum>204.</enum><header>Emergency
amendment authority; effective date</header>
<subsection id="ID31D7C8CDC4BE4555B849DFCA7639D300"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Emergency
amendment authority</header>
<paragraph id="ID3EEC7B4614F24865A5D7B8F9A128EE49"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The United States Sentencing Commission, in its
discretion, may—</text>
<subparagraph id="IDC109A7B9B41C4556BBE2412D335B7DAB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>promulgate
amendments pursuant to the directives in this Act in accordance with the
procedure set forth in section 21(a) of the Sentencing Act of 1987
(<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/100/182">28 U.S.C. 994
note</external-xref>), as though the authority under that section had not
expired; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDC94CD7F4778340E79D3645E6A3B3E96F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>pursuant to the
emergency authority provided in paragraph (1), make such conforming amendments
to the Sentencing Guidelines as the Commission determines necessary to achieve
consistency with other guideline provisions and applicable law.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="ID23FCB892BA0C49BFB1A1C98EB909D379"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Promulgation</header><text>The
Commission shall promulgate any amendments under paragraph (1) promptly, so
that the amendments take effect on the same date as the amendments made by this
Act.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="IDB0FF73623D9B490488B59E004E7BF9DF"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective
date</header>
<paragraph id="ID0516DCF7D7A34297B1F218BB7BE74709"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Except as provided in paragraph (2), this Act and the
amendments made by this Act shall apply to any offense committed on or after
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act. There shall be no retroactive
application of any portion of this Act.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID35CFD39251074ABF84ACBFFCF3DFF02E"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Applicability</header><text>This
subsection shall not apply to section 203 of this Act.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section>