Criminal justice reformers reach cusp of history — but worry about last-minute hitches

“I don’t necessarily trust what’s going to happen,” one reform advocate said.

There are no sure bets in this Congress, especially when it comes to the politically fraught issue of criminal justice reform.

But a rare coalition of lawmakers, activists, prosecutors and defense attorneys spanning the political spectrum believe they are on the cusp of a vote that would usher in the broadest set of changes to federal criminal statutes in a generation.

President Donald Trump backs the bill. So does Paul Ryan, speaker of the House. Republican opponents, including Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, say they’ve been assuaged by changes that give less leniency to people with long criminal histories and those convicted of violent offenses. A dam seemed to break on Tuesday, when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, under pressure for weeks, agreed to bring the bill to the floor for a vote before Congress breaks for the holidays. It would then have to pass the House, which has already approved a more limited version.

Supporters say they’re confident that if the bill were put before lawmakers today, they’d have more than enough votes — as many as 80 in the Senate — for it to pass.

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