S. 2850: Smarter Sentencing Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-11-13 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-11-13 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Smarter Sentencing Act of 2019

Plain summary

Smarter Sentencing Act of 2019 This bill modifies mandatory minimum prison terms for defendants who commit certain drug-related offenses. First, the bill reduces the mandatory minimum prison term for defendants who manufacture, distribute, or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Specifically, it reduces mandatory minimums from 10 years to 5 years for a first-time high-level offense (e.g., one kilogram or more of heroin), from 15 years to 10 years for a high-level offense after one prior felony drug offense, from 5 years to 2 years for a first-time low-level offense (e.g., 100 to 999 grams of heroin), and from 10 years to 5 years for a low-level offense after one prior felony drug offense. Additionally, the bill modifies the application of mandatory minimum prison terms for certain defendants who import or export a controlled substance. Specifically, it makes existing mandatory minimums inapplicable to a defendant who functions as a courier; and establishes new, shorter mandatory minimum prison terms for a courier. The Department of Justice must report on and publish all federal criminal statutory offenses. Specified federal agencies, departments, and entities must report on and publish criminal regulatory offenses that they enforce.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Smarter Sentencing Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] · 12 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] reported raising $2.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s2850.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s2850 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116