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ACLU Testimony to Reform the 100-1 Crack/Powder Disparity (02/12/2008)
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) would like to thank the Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary for the opportunity to submit testimony for this hearing on “Federal Cocaine Sentencing Laws: Reforming the 100-to-1 Crack/Powder Disparity.” The ACLU is a nonpartisan organization with hundreds of thousands of activists and members and with 53 affiliates nationwide. Our mission is to protect the Constitution and particularly the Bill of Rights. Thus, the disparity that exists in federal law between crack and powder cocaine sentencing continues to concern our organization due to the implications of this policy on due process and equal protection rights of all people. Equally important to our core mission are the rights of freedom of association and freedom from disproportionate punishment, which are also at risk under this sentencing regime.

ACLU Letter Urging Senators to Support S. 1711, the Drug Sentencing Reform and Cocaine Kingpin Trafficking Act of 2007 (02/04/2008)

ACLU Comments for Sentencing Commision (10/29/2007)
On behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and its hundreds of thousands of members, activists, and fifty-three affiliates nationwide, we submit these comments pursuant to the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s request for public comments, as noticed in the Federal Register in July 2007, relating to its proposed amendment to the crack sentencing guidelines. Amendment 9, which pertains to crack offenses, has the effect of lowering the guideline sentencing range for certain categories of offenses and offenders. We write in support of the Commission’s proposal that to make Amendment 9 retroactive to sentenced defendants.

ACLU Open Letter to the United States Congress (10/02/2007)

In the Matter of Lyle Craker - Congressional Sign-On Letter (09/18/2007)
A letter signed by 45 members of Congress urging DEA Administrator Karen Tandy to follow an administrative law judge's recommendation and grant Professor Lyle Craker a license to cultivate marijuana for use in FDA-approved studies aimed at developing marijuana as a prescription medicine.

Written Testimony on Law Enforcement Confidential Informant Practices by Professor Alexandra Natapoff Before the House Judiciary Committee (07/19/2007)
Written testimony prepared by Alexandra Natapoff, Professor of Law at Loyola Law School, for presentation at the Joint Oversight Hearing on Law Enforcement Confidential Informant Practices before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, and the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

Written Testimony on Law Enforcement Confidential Informant Practices by J. Patrick O'Burke, Deputy Commander, Narcotics Service, Texas Department of Public Safety, Before the House Judiciary Committee (07/19/2007)
Written testimony prepared by J. Patrick O'Burke, Deputy Commander, Narcotics Service, Texas Department of Public Safety for presentation at the Joint Oversight Hearing on Law Enforcement Confidential Informant Practices before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, and the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

Testimony of Valerie Corral at the House Judiciary Committee's Oversight Hearing on DEA's Regulation of Medicine (07/12/2007)
Written testimony of Valerie Corral, founder of the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM), a medical marijuana hospice, prepared for presentation before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security during oversight hearings on the Drug Enforcement Administration's regulation of medicine. Corral addresses the federal government's policies of obstructing state medical marijuana legislation as well as legitimate scientific research. [Note that spoken testimony may not directly reflect this document]

ACLU Letter to Honorable Jose E. Serrano and Honorable Ralph Regula Regarding Ineffective ONDCP Ad Campaign in Financial Services Appropriations Bill Funding (06/05/2007)
On behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union, a non-partisan organization with hundreds of thousands of members and 53 affiliates nationwide, we write to express our serious concern with the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. The Campaign—widely regarded as ineffective, wasteful and at times misleading—is yet another wrongheaded tactic in the war on drugs. The Campaign has cost taxpayers more that $1.5 billion since created, and the only demonstrable effect on its target audience runs contrary to the Campaign’s supposed goals. In fact, studies have found that the Ad Campaign might actually increase teen drug use. The FY08 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill will be marked up today in the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. We urge you to eliminate funding for ONDCP’s National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign.

ACLU Comments to the United States Sentencing Commission on Crack/Powder Disparity (03/16/2007)

Coalition Sign-On Letter to Congress Urging Opposition to the Higher Education Act Aid Elimination Penalty (02/21/2007)

ACLU Urges Members of Congress to Co-Sponsor and Support the RISE Act (01/25/2007)

No More Tulias: Drug Law Enforcement Evidentiary Standards Improvement Act of 2007 (01/05/2007)
Representative Shelia Jackson-Lee (D-TX) has introduced a bill in Congress that would apply to all state and local agencies that receive federal funding from the Department of Justice. The No More Tulias: Drug Law Enforcement Evidentiary Standards Improvement Act of 2007, H.R. 253, was introduced in the 110th Congress, 1st Session, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Representative Jackson-Lee’s bill would require corroboration of any informant or law enforcement officer’s testimony.

ACLU Letter to the House of Representatives Urging Members to Vote For The Hinchey/Rohrabacher/ Paul/Farr Amendment To The Science-State-Justice-Commerce Appropriations Bill (06/26/2006)

Santa Cruz, California's Proposed Ordinance Establishing an "Office of Compassionate Use" to Provide Medical Marijuana to Qualified Patients (11/07/2005)

Coalition Sign-On Letter Supporting the Elimination of Barriers for Katrina Victims (10/26/2005)

Coalition Letter to the House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Opposing H.R. 4547 (09/22/2004)