[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15038]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              UNITED STATES PAROLE COMMISSION ACT OF 2011

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of H.R. 2944, which was received from the 
House and is at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 2944) to provide for the continued performance 
     of the functions of the United States Parole Commission, and 
     for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am pleased that Members of the House from 
both parties acted quickly to reauthorize the U.S. Parole Commission. I 
was glad to help move this important measure in the Senate, and am 
disappointed that we were forced to accept this unnecessary amendment 
to shorten the bipartisan House bill. Today's amendment wastes valuable 
time and resources by forcing Congress to reauthorize the Commission 
again in another 2 years, instead of working toward a more permanent 
solution.
  Although Federal parole was abolished decades ago, the U.S. Parole 
Commission still has jurisdiction over thousands of offenders in the 
District of Columbia, as well as some in other parts of the country. 
Without reauthorization, we faced the risk that offenders would be 
released early without the proper public safety assessment. I believe 
that passing this bill promotes public safety and fairness.
  I would like to commend Chairman Lamar Smith and Ranking Member John 
Conyers of the House Judiciary Committee and Representative Bobby Scott 
of Virginia and Representative Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin for 
joining together to originate this bill and move it through the House 
Judiciary Committee and the House.


                           AMENDMENT NO. 736

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a Coburn 
amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be 
read the third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any 
statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 736) was agreed to, as follows:

  (Purpose: To authorize a 2 year extension of the Parole Commission)

       On page 2, line 12, strike ```27 years' or `27-year 
     period''' and insert ```26 years' or `26-year period'''.

  The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill (H.R. 2944), as amended, was read the third time and passed.

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