View source for United States Sentencing Commission

{{Short description|Independent agency of the U.S. federal judiciary which determines sentencing guidelines}}
{{Organization 
|OrganizationName=United States Sentencing Commission
|OrganizationType=Independent Agencies
|Mission=The U.S. Sentencing Commission develops sentencing policies and practices for the federal criminal justice system that provide certainty and fairness in meeting the purposes of sentencing, avoiding unwarranted disparities among defendants with similar records. It also researches and distributes information on federal crime and sentencing practices.
|OrganizationExecutive=Chair
|Employees=100
|Budget=$19 million (fiscal year 2024)
|Website=https://www.ussc.gov
|Services=Sentencing guidelines development; Research and data analysis; Training and education
|ParentOrganization=
|CreationLegislation=Sentencing Reform Act of 1984
|Regulations=Develops and maintains the Federal Sentencing Guidelines Manual
|HeadquartersLocation=38.898556, -77.009056
|HeadquartersAddress=One Columbus Circle NE, Suite 2-500, Washington, DC 20002, United States
}}
{{Infobox government agency
|agency_name     = United States Sentencing Commission
|seal            = Seal of the United States Sentencing Commission.png
|seal_width      = 
|seal_caption    = Seal of the United States Sentencing Commission
|picture         = 
|picture_width   = 
|picture_caption = 
|formed          = 1984
|dissolved       =
|superseding     =
|jurisdiction    = [[United States federal courts|United States Judiciary]]
|headquarters    = [[Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building]] [[Washington, D.C.]]
|employees       = 100
|budget          = 
|chief1_name     = [[Carlton W. Reeves]]
|chief1_position = Chairman
|parent_agency   = 
|website         = {{URL|http://www.ussc.gov/}}
|footnotes       =
}}
{{Politics of the United States}}

The '''United States Sentencing Commission''' is an [[Independent agencies of the United States government|independent agency]] of the [[Federal judiciary of the United States|judicial branch]] of the [[federal government of the United States|U.S. federal government]].<ref name="ussc overview">{{cite web|url=http://www.ussc.gov/About_the_Commission/Overview_of_the_USSC/USSC_Overview.pdf |title=An Overview of the United States Sentencing Commission |work=United States Sentencing Commission |access-date=9 August 2011 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060812131028/http://www.ussc.gov/About_the_Commission/Overview_of_the_USSC/USSC_Overview.pdf |archive-date=12 August 2006 }}</ref> It is responsible for articulating the [[United States Federal Sentencing Guidelines|U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines]] for the federal courts. The Commission promulgates the [[Federal Sentencing Guidelines]], which replaced the prior system of indeterminate sentencing that allowed trial judges to give sentences ranging from [[probation]] to the maximum statutory punishment for the offense. It is headquartered in [[Washington, D.C.]]

The commission was created by the [[Sentencing Reform Act]] provisions of the [[Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984]].<ref name="ussc overview"/> The [[constitutionality]] of the commission was challenged as a congressional encroachment on the power of the [[Executive (government)|executive]] but upheld by the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] in ''[[Mistretta v. United States]]'', {{ussc|488|361|1989}}.

The U.S. Sentencing Commission was established by [[United States Congress|Congress]] as a permanent, independent agency within the judicial branch.<ref name="ussc overview"/> The seven members of the Commission are [[Appointments Clause|appointed]] by the [[President of the United States|President]] and [[Advice and consent|confirmed]] by the [[United States Senate|Senate]], for a term of six years.<ref name="ussc overview"/> The [[Judicial Conference of the United States|Judicial Conference]] offers names of potential nominees to the President for nomination.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Near-Vacant Sentencing Panel Gives Biden Chance for Fresh Start|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/near-vacant-sentencing-panel-gives-biden-chance-for-fresh-start|access-date=2021-12-13|website=news.bloomberglaw.com|language=en}}</ref> Commission members may be reappointed to one additional term, also with the advice and consent of the Senate.  Some Commission members have been appointed to finish out the term of prior members instead of starting their own 6-year term, and therefore, not all Commission members have served six years or more.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-02-28|title=PN34 – Nomination of Dabney Langhorne Friedrich for United States Sentencing Commission, 110th Congress (2007–2008)|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/110th-congress/34|access-date=2021-12-13|website=www.congress.gov}}</ref> Three of the members must be [[federal judge]]s, and no more than four may belong to the same [[political party]].<ref name="ussc overview" /> The [[United States Attorney General|Attorney General]] or his designee and the chair of the [[United States Parole Commission]] sit as ''[[ex officio]]'', non-voting members of the Commission.<ref name="ussc overview"/> The Commission requires a quorum of at least four voting members in order to promulgate amendments to the Sentencing Guidelines.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-02-02|title=Organization|url=https://www.ussc.gov/about/who-we-are/organization|access-date=2021-12-13|website=United States Sentencing Commission|language=en}}</ref>

The Commission lacked full membership from 2014 to 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-10-28|title=Former Commissioner Information|url=https://www.ussc.gov/about/who-we-are/commisioners/former-commissioner-information|access-date=2021-12-13|website=United States Sentencing Commission|language=en}}</ref> On August 4, 2022, the Senate confirmed President Biden's seven nominees to the Commission; all the confirmed members were sworn in the next day.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Alder |first=Madison |date=2022-08-04 |title=US Sentencing Commission Restocked After Senate Confirmations |work=[[Bloomberg Law]] |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/us-sentencing-commission-restocked-after-senate-confirmations |access-date=2022-08-04}}</ref>

==Current membership==
{{As of|2022|08|df=US}}:<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ussc.gov/commissioners#NaN | title=About the Commissioners }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Title
! Member
! Party
! Occupation
! Date appointed
! Term expiration
|-
| Chair
| [[Carlton W. Reeves]]
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
| Judge, [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi]]
| August 5, 2022
| October 31, 2027
|-
| Vice Chair
| [[L. Felipe Restrepo]]
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
| Judge, [[United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit]]
| August 5, 2022
| October 31, 2025
|-
| Vice Chair
| Laura Mate
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
| Director of Sentencing Resource Counsel
| August 5, 2022
| October 31, 2027
|-
| Vice Chair
| [[Claire McCusker Murray]]
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| Former Principal Deputy [[Associate Attorney General]]
| August 5, 2022
| October 31, 2027
|-
| Commissioner
| [[Claria Horn Boom]]
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| Judge, [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky]] and the [[United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky]]
| August 5, 2022
| October 31, 2023
|-
| Commissioner
| [[John Gleeson (judge) |John Gleeson]]
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
| Retired Judge, [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York]]
| August 5, 2022
| October 31, 2023
|-
| Commissioner
| Candice C. Wong
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| Assistant United States Attorney, [[United States Attorney for the District of Columbia]]
| August 5, 2022
| October 31, 2027
|-
| {{nowrap|(''Ex officio Commissioner'')}}<br/>(non-voting)
| Patricia K. Cushwa
|
| Acting Chair, [[United States Parole Commission]]
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
|-
| {{nowrap|(''Ex officio Commissioner'')}}<br/>(non-voting)<br/>{{nowrap|(Attorney General's designee)}}
| Jonathan J. Wroblewski
|
| Director, Office of Policy and Legislation, [[U.S. Department of Justice]]
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
|}

==Former membership==
As listed on the U.S. Sentencing Commission's website:<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-10-28|title=Former Commissioner Information|url=https://www.ussc.gov/about/who-we-are/commisioners/former-commissioner-information|access-date=2021-12-09|website=United States Sentencing Commission|language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Former Members of the U.S. Sentencing Commission
!Title
!Member
!Occupation
!Date appointed
!Term expiration
|-
|Chairman
|[[William Walter Wilkins|William W. Wilkins, Jr.]]
|Judge, U.S. District Circuit, South Carolina; subsequently elevated to U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
|1985
|1994
|-
|
|[[Stephen Breyer|Stephen G. Breyer]]
|Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit (later Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)
|1985
|1989
|-
|
|[[George MacKinnon|George E. MacKinnon]]
|Senior Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit
|1985
|1991
|-
|
|Ilene H. Nagel
|Professor of Law and Sociology, Indiana University School of Law
|1985
|1994
|-
|
|Helen G. Corrothers
|Member, U.S. Parole Commission
|1985
|1991
|-
|
|Michael K. Block
|Professor of Law and Economics, University of Arizona
|1985
|1989
|-
|
|Paul H. Robinson
|Professor of Law, Rutgers Law School
|1985
|1988
|-
|Vice Chair 1994–1996
|[[A. David Mazzone]]
|Judge, U.S. District Court, D. Massachusetts
|1990
|1996
|-
|
|[[Julie E. Carnes]]
|Assistant U.S. Attorney, N.D. Georgia. Subsequently was appointed as a federal district court judge for the Northern District of Georgia and continued to serve on the Commission.)
|1990
|1996
|-
|Vice Chair 1994–1998
|Michael S. Gelacak
|Attorney, McNair Firm, Washington, D.C.
|1990
|1998
|-
|Chairman, 1994–1998
|[[Richard Paul Conaboy|Richard P. Conaboy]]
|Senior Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania
|1994
|1998
|-
|
|[[Deanell Reece Tacha|Deanell R. Tacha]]
|Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
|1994
|1998
|-
|Vice Chair, 1995–97 (holdover status ended 10/21/98)
|Michael Goldsmith
|Professor of Law, Brigham Young University Law School
|1994
|1998
|-
|
|Wayne A. Budd
|Attorney, Goodwin, Procter & Hoar, Boston, MA
|1994
|1997
|-
|
|[[Elton Joe Kendall|Joe Kendall]]
|Judge, U.S. District Court, N.D. Texas
|1999
|2002
|-
|
|[[Sterling Johnson Jr.|Sterling Johnson, Jr.]]
|Judge, U.S. District Court, E.D. New York
|1999
|2002
|-
|Chair, 1999–2004
|[[Diana E. Murphy]]
|Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
|1999
|2004
|-
|
|Michael E. O’Neill
|Assistant Professor, George Mason University School of Law
|1999
|2005
|-
|Vice Chair, 1999 – 2007
|John R. Steer
|General Counsel, U.S. Sentencing Commission
|1999
|2007
|-
|
|Michael E. Horowitz
|Attorney, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, Washington, DC
|2003
|2008
|-
|Chair, 2009–2010; Vice Chair, 1999–2009
|[[William K. Sessions III]]
|Judge and later elevated to Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Vermont
|1999
|2010
|-
|Vice Chair, 1999–2010
|[[Rubén Castillo (judge)|Ruben Castillo]]
|Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
|1999
|2010
|-
|
|Beryl A. Howell
|Executive Managing Director and General Counsel, Stroz Friedberg, LLC, Washington, DC; subsequently appointed to the U.S. District Court, District of Columbia and later Chief Judge.
|2004
|2012
|-
|Vice Chair, 2008–2012
|William B. Carr, Jr.
|Adjunct Professor of Law, Widener Law School, Wilmington, DE
|2008
|2012
|-
|Chair, 2003–2010; Vice Chair, 2011–2014
|[[Ricardo Hinojosa|Ricardo H. Hinojosa]]
|Judge and later Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
|2003
|2014
|-
|Vice Chair, 2010–2014
|[[Ketanji Brown Jackson]]
|Attorney, Morrison & Foerster LLP, later appointed to Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia; later appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
|2010
|2014
|-
|
|[[Dabney L. Friedrich]]
|Associate Counsel, Office of Counsel to the President, Washington, DC, later appointed to Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
|2006 according to USSC (February 28, 2007 according to Congress.gov<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-02-28|title=PN34 – Nomination of Dabney Langhorne Friedrich for United States Sentencing Commission, 110th Congress (2007–2008)|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/110th-congress/34|access-date=2021-12-13|website=www.congress.gov}}</ref>)
|2016
|-
|Chair, December 22, 2010<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-12-22|title=PN1713 – Nomination of Patti B. Saris for United States Sentencing Commission, 111th Congress (2009–2010)|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/111th-congress/1713|access-date=2021-12-13|website=www.congress.gov}}</ref>-2016
|[[Patti B. Saris]]
|Judge and later Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
|December 22, 2010<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-12-22|title=PN1714 – Nomination of Patti B. Saris for United States Sentencing Commission, 111th Congress (2009–2010)|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/111th-congress/1714|access-date=2021-12-13|website=www.congress.gov}}</ref>
|2016
|-
|Acting Chair, January 3, 2017<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-12-28|title=January 3, 2017|url=https://www.ussc.gov/about/news/press-releases/january-3-2017|access-date=2021-12-13|website=United States Sentencing Commission|language=en}}</ref>-2018
|[[William H. Pryor Jr.]]
|Judge, U.S. Circuit Court, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
|June 6, 2013<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-06-06|title=PN324 – Nomination of William H. Pryor Jr. for United States Sentencing Commission, 113th Congress (2013–2014)|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/113th-congress/324|access-date=2021-12-13|website=www.congress.gov}}</ref>
|2018
|-
|
|[[Rachel Barkow|Rachel E. Barkow]]
|Segal Family Professor of Regulatory Law and Policy, New York University School of Law
|June 2013<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rachel E. Barkow – Biography {{!}} NYU School of Law|url=https://its.law.nyu.edu/facultyprofiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=profile.biography&personid=20660|access-date=2021-12-13|website=its.law.nyu.edu}}</ref>
|2018 according to USSC (January 2019 according to NYU Law<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rachel E. Barkow – Biography {{!}} NYU School of Law|url=https://its.law.nyu.edu/facultyprofiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=profile.biography&personid=20660|access-date=2021-12-13|website=its.law.nyu.edu}}</ref>)
|-
|
|[[Danny C. Reeves]]
|Judge, and later Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky
|March 21, 2017<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-03-21|title=PN85 – Nomination of Danny C. Reeves for United States Sentencing Commission, 115th Congress (2017–2018)|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/85|access-date=2021-12-13|website=www.congress.gov}}</ref>
|March 2021
|}

== "Drugs Minus Two Amendment" ==
On April 10, 2014, the Commission unanimously voted to approve the "Drugs Minus Two Amendment."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=U.S. Sentencing Commission|date=July 2020|title=Retroactivity & Recidivism: The Drugs Minus Two Amendment|url=https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/research-publications/2020/20200708_Recidivism-Drugs-Minus-Two.pdf|access-date=December 14, 2021|website=U.S. Sentencing Commission}}</ref> The "Drugs Minus Two Amendment" changed the [[United States Federal Sentencing Guidelines|U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines]] to "reduce the applicable sentencing guideline range for most federal drug trafficking offenses."<ref name=":0"/> The Commission voted to make the Amendment retroactive on July 18, 2014, "thereby allowing eligible offenders serving a previously imposed term of imprisonment to file a motion under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) for a sentence reduction."<ref name=":0"/>

==2015 actions==
After a visit to a federal prison in Oklahoma by President [[Barack Obama]] in July 2015,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/07/16/423612441/obama-visits-federal-prison-a-first-for-a-sitting-president|title=Obama Visits Federal Prison, A First For A Sitting President|website=[[NPR]] |access-date=2018-04-04|archive-date=2018-04-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402101149/https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/07/16/423612441/obama-visits-federal-prison-a-first-for-a-sitting-president|url-status=live}}</ref> the Commission issued new retroactive sentencing guidelines in October which lowered sentences for many drug offenders. The sentencing panel estimated that roughly 46,000 of 100,000 drug offenders serving federal sentences would qualify for early release. 6,000 would be released in November but <sup>1</sup>/<sub>3</sub> of those inmates were to be turned over to [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement|I.C.E.]] for deportation proceedings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/u-release-6-000-federal-prisoners-washington-post-204755226.html|title=U.S. to release 6,000 federal prisoners – Washington Post|date=6 October 2015 |access-date=2017-01-15|archive-date=2015-10-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027072046/http://news.yahoo.com/u-release-6-000-federal-prisoners-washington-post-204755226.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://kfor.com/2015/10/06/u-s-to-release-6000-federal-inmates-as-part-of-prison-reform/|title=U.S. to release 6,000 federal inmates as part of prison reform|date=6 October 2015|access-date=7 October 2015|archive-date=7 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007054819/http://kfor.com/2015/10/06/u-s-to-release-6000-federal-inmates-as-part-of-prison-reform/|url-status=live}}</ref> The commission's change represents an overall change in prosecution of drug-related offences.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.vice.com/article/the-us-is-going-to-let-nearly-6000-drug-offenders-out-of-federal-prison-early|title=The US Is Going to Let Nearly 6,000 Drug Offenders Out of Federal Prison Early – VICE News|date=6 October 2015 |access-date=2015-10-07|archive-date=2015-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151013094713/https://news.vice.com/article/the-us-is-going-to-let-nearly-6000-drug-offenders-out-of-federal-prison-early|url-status=live}}</ref> In response to the change, senators, in a bipartisan effort, are attempting to reduce minimum sentences for these offenses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/federal-prisoner-release_us_561527d4e4b0cf9984d7bfd5|title=What You Need To Know About The New Federal Prisoner Release|first=The Marshall|last=Project|date=7 October 2015|via=Huff Post|access-date=4 March 2018|archive-date=28 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428002344/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/federal-prisoner-release_us_561527d4e4b0cf9984d7bfd5|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Judicial Conference of the United States Commissioner Candidate Suggestions ==
In April 2021, the [[Judicial Conference of the United States]] sent the following candidate suggestions to [[Joe Biden|President Biden]]: Judge [[L. Felipe Restrepo|Luis Felipe Restrepo]] (to represent a Democratic seat), Judge [[Denise J. Casper|Denise Jefferson Casper]] (Democratic seat), Judge [[Abdul Kallon]] (Democratic seat), Judge [[Carol Amon|Carol Bagley Amon]] (Republican seat), Judge [[Federico A. Moreno|Federico Moreno]] (Republican seat), and Judge [[John Michael Seabright|Michael Seabright]] (Republican seat).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Near-Vacant Sentencing Panel Gives Biden Chance for Fresh Start|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/near-vacant-sentencing-panel-gives-biden-chance-for-fresh-start|access-date=2021-12-14|website=news.bloomberglaw.com|language=en}}</ref>

== Past Presidential Commissioner Nominations ==

=== President Barack Obama Nominees ===
On April 20, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated [[William K. Sessions III]], of Vermont, to be Chair of the Commission.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-04-20|title=Presidential Nominations Sent To The Senate, 4-20-2009|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/presidential-nominations-sent-senate-4-20-2009|access-date=2021-12-14|website=whitehouse.gov|language=en}}</ref>

On July 23, 2009, [[Barack Obama|President Barack Obama]] nominated [[Ketanji Brown Jackson]] to be a Commissioner.<ref>{{Cite web|title=President Obama Nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson to U.S. Sentencing Commission|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/realitycheck/node/3762|access-date=2021-12-14|website=The White House|language=en}}</ref>

On April 28, 2010, [[Barack Obama|President Barack Obama]] nominated Judge [[Patti B. Saris]] as Commissioner and Chair, and nominated [[Dabney L. Friedrich|Dabney Langhorne Friedrich]] as a Commissioner (for a second term).<ref>{{Cite web|title=President Obama Nominates Two United States Sentencing Commission|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/realitycheck/node/11589|access-date=2021-12-14|website=The White House|language=en}}</ref>

In April 2012, [[Barack Obama|President Barack Obama]] nominated Senior District Judge [[Charles Breyer|Charles R. Breyer]] of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California as a Commissioner.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-04-25|title=Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/25/presidential-nominations-sent-senate|access-date=2021-12-14|website=whitehouse.gov|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Northern California Judge Nominated to U.S. Sentencing Commission|url=https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ninth-circuit-news/northern-california-judge-nominated-to-u-s-sentencing-commission/|access-date=2021-12-14|website=www.ca9.uscourts.gov}}</ref>

In April 2013, [[Barack Obama|President Barack Obama]] nominated [[Rachel Barkow|Rachel Elise Barkow]], of New York, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission; [[Charles Breyer|Charles R. Breyer]], of California, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission; and [[William H. Pryor Jr.]], of Alabama, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-04-15|title=Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/15/presidential-nominations-sent-senate|access-date=2021-12-14|website=whitehouse.gov|language=en}}</ref>

On September 9, 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Judge [[Richard F. Boulware]] and Judge [[Charles Breyer|Charles R. Breyer]] as Commissioners.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-09-09|title=President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the United States Sentencing Commission|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/09/10/president-obama-nominates-two-serve-united-states-sentencing-commission|access-date=2021-12-14|website=whitehouse.gov|language=en}}</ref>

On March 15, 2016, [[Barack Obama|President Barack Obama]] nominated Judge [[Danny C. Reeves]] as a Commissioner.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-03-15|title=President Obama Nominates Judge Danny C. Reeves to Serve on the United States Sentencing Commission|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/03/15/president-obama-nominates-judge-danny-c-reeves-serve-united-states|access-date=2021-12-14|website=whitehouse.gov|language=en}}</ref>

On January 17, 2017, [[Barack Obama|President Barack Obama]] nominated [[Charles Breyer|Charles R. Breyer]] for reappointment and [[Danny C. Reeves]] as a Commissioner.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-01-17|title=Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/17/presidential-nominations-sent-senate|access-date=2021-12-14|website=whitehouse.gov|language=en}}</ref>

=== President Donald Trump Nominees ===
In March of 2018, [[Donald Trump|President Donald Trump]] said he intended to nominate four candidates to the Commission: "Judge [[William H. Pryor Jr.|William Pryor]] of Alabama, Judge [[L. Felipe Restrepo|Luis Felipe Restrepo]] of Pennsylvania, Judge [[Henry E. Hudson|Henry Hudson]] of Virginia and Georgetown University law professor William Graham Otis."<ref>{{Cite news|date=2018-03-01|title=Trump announces slate of nominees for U.S. Sentencing Commission|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-sentencing-idUSKCN1GD5ZQ|access-date=2021-12-14}}</ref>

On August 12, 2020, [[Donald Trump|President Donald Trump]] nominated five individuals to join the Sentencing Commission: Judge [[Kevin Michael Moore|K. Michael Moore]], of Florida, as Chairman of the United States Sentencing Commission; Judge [[Claria Horn Boom]], of Kentucky, as a Commissioner of the United States Sentencing Commission; Judge [[Henry E. Hudson]], of Virginia, as a Commissioner of the United States Sentencing Commission; John G. Malcolm (Vice President for the Institute for Constitutional Government and the Director of the Meese Center for Legal & Judicial Studies at the [[The Heritage Foundation|Heritage Foundation]]), as a Commissioner of the United States Sentencing Commission; and Judge [[L. Felipe Restrepo|Luis Felipe Restrepo]], of Pennsylvania, as a Commissioner of the United States Sentencing Commission.<ref>{{Cite web|title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Individuals to Key Administration Posts – The White House|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-appoint-individuals-key-administration-posts-081220/|access-date=2021-12-14|website=trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Sentencing Law and Policy: Prez Trump finally announces full slate of (unlikely to be confirmed?) new nominees for the US Sentencing Commission|url=https://sentencing.typepad.com/sentencing_law_and_policy/2020/08/prez-trump-finally-announces-full-slate-of-unlikely-to-be-confirmed-new-nominees-for-the-us-sentenci.html|access-date=2021-12-14|website=sentencing.typepad.com}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Sentencing Act of 1987]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.ussc.gov/ United States Sentencing Commission]
*[https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/united-states-sentencing-commission United States Sentencing Commission] in the [[Federal Register]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090902214453/http://www.uscourts.gov/ttb/2009-08/article03a.cfm?WT.cg_n=TTB&WT.cg_s=Aug09_article03a_tableOfContents Interviews with first four Commission Chairs]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110928111721/http://www.uscourts.gov/News/TheThirdBranch/11-09-01/From_the_Hill_to_the_Court_to_the_Commission.aspx From the Hill to the Court to the Commission] (Interview with Commission Chair Patti Saris, ''The Third Branch'' Sept. 2011)
*[http://www.uscourts.gov/ttb/2009-08/article03b1.cfm?WT.cg_n=TTB&WT.cg_s=Aug09_article03b1_tableOfContents Significant Dates and Decisions in the History of the Sentencing Guidelines]
*[https://www.zdnet.com/article/anonymous-hacks-us-sentencing-commission-distributes-files/ Anonymous hacks US Sentencing Commission, distributes files]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/560350 Records of the United States Sentencing Commission in the National Archives (Record Group 539)]

{{Presidency of Ronald Reagan}}
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[[Category:Federal judiciary of the United States|Sentencing Commission]]
[[Category:Sentencing commissions in the United States]]
[[Category:1984 establishments in the United States]]