Senate Passes Five-Year Reauthorization for the U.S. Parole Commission

 WASHINGTON, DC – The Chairman of the United States Parole Commission, Isaac Fulwood announced today the passage of a bill to reauthorize the U.S. Parole Commission (USPC) for five years, which took effect November 1, 2013.  Fulwood expressed his pleasure regarding the term of the authorization; a five-year reauthorization rather than the several previous two-year reauthorizations.  This extended term will permit the Commission to provide greater certainty and consistency to perform its many functions concerning D.C. Code felons and federal offenders.  Currently the USPC has jurisdiction over more than 17,800 D.C. Code felons and approximately 3500 federal offenders, despite the abolishment of federal parole in 1987. 

           Chairman Fulwood expressed gratitude to Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who strongly supported the agency’s re-authorization.  “Providing the Parole Commission with a five-year extension eliminates the concern of job stability among staff.  With job stability comes more focus on productivity and quality work—which continues to fulfill the mission of the USPC.”  Congresswoman Norton worked closely with the House and Senate Judiciary committees on the bill because of the USPC’s responsibility for D.C. Code felons.

           “I am pleased that we were able to get a somewhat longer reauthorization,” said Norton. “However, considering that the USPC now has continuing responsibilities for D.C. Code felons and certain federal offenders, it is important to stabilize this important public safety agency with the same permanent authorization as other federal law enforcement agencies.  . .The reauthorization gives the Commission the longer-term stability it needs to continue to succeed and improve in the future.”

           Chairman Fulwood joins Congresswoman Norton in her appreciation of the work of Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT), House Judiciary Committee Chair Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI), Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Chair Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), for their work on getting the bill passed in the Senate and the House last month.