Greetings,

Days like today are among my favorite as president of the Champaign County NAACP.

For years we have worked to even out the vast disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine sentencing – a gap that unfairly hurts minority communities. Finally, Congress has shown courage and leadership to reduce this disparity.

While the difference in sentencing guidelines hasn’t been fully eliminated, this marks honest progress toward our goal. A few days ago President Obama signed the bill into law.

And today, I’m asking you to join me in thanking Congress for passing this historic piece of legislation:

http://action.naacp.org/ThankYouCongress

Until today, there was a sentencing disparity of 100:1 between crack cocaine and powder cocaine. But during negotiations it became clear that Congress was in agreement: This disparity has had a hugely unfair and racially discriminatory impact on minority Americans.

As a result, the bill lessening the disparity to 18:1 passed by unanimous consent.

The NAACP supports this bill as an important first step in completely eradicating these types of legislative injustices. However, we will continue to push for complete elimination of the disparities between crack cocaine and powder cocaine sentencing.

But first, we need your help in showing our gratitude for this incredible progress. Take a moment to thank your member of Congress:

http://action.naacp.org/ThankYouCongress

Your work means more now than ever before. With your help, we will continue to win even more major victories like today’s.

I cannot thank you enough.

All the best,

Rev. Jerome Chambers
President
Champaign County NAACP

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