Appendix B - Selected Sentencing Statutes
November 1, 2005 | GUIDELINES MANUAL | Appendix B |
Effective Date of Sentencing Guidelines. For provisions directing that the sentencing guidelines promulgated pursuant to subsec. (a)(1) of this section not go into effect until
(I) the United States Sentencing Commission has submitted the initial set of sentencing guidelines to the Congress, along with a report stating the reasons for the Commission’s recommendations;
(II) the General Accounting Office has undertaken a study of the guidelines, and their potential impact in comparison with the operation of the existing sentencing and parole release system, and has, within one hundred and fifty days of submission of the guidelines, reported to the Congress the results of its study; and
(III) the day after the Congress has had six months after the date described in subclause (I) in which to examine the guidelines and consider the reports, and
(IV) certain other provisions take effect, see section 235(a)(1)(B)(ii) of Pub.L. 98-473, as amended, set out as a note under section 3551 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.
General Accounting Office Study of Impact and Operation of Sentencing Guideline System.
Pub.L. 98-473, Title II, § 236, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2033, provided that:
"(a)(1) Four years after the sentencing guidelines promulgated pursuant to section 994(a)(1) [subsec. (a)(1) of this section], and the provisions of section 3581, 3583, and 3624 of title 18, United States Code, go into effect, the General Accounting Office shall undertake a study of the guidelines in order to determine their impact and compare the guideline system with the operation of the previous sentencing and parole release system, and within six months of the undertaking of such study, report to the Congress the results of its study.
"(2) Within one month of the start of the study required under subsection (a), the United States Sentencing Commission shall submit a report to the General Accounting Office, all appropriate courts, the Department of Justice, and the Congress detailing the operation of the sentencing guideline system and discussing any problems with the system or reforms needed. The report shall include an evaluation of the impact of the sentencing guidelines on prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, disparities in sentencing, and the use of incarceration, and shall be issued by affirmative vote of a majority of the voting members of the Commission.
"(b) The Congress shall review the study submitted pursuant to subsection (a) in order to determine
"(1) whether the sentencing guideline system has been effective;
"(2) whether any changes should be made in the sentencing guideline system; and "(3) whether the parole system should be reinstated in some form and the life of the Parole Commission extended."
§ 995. Powers of the Commission
(a) The Commission, by vote of a majority of the members present and voting, shall have the power to) (1) establish general policies and promulgate such rules and regulations for the Commission as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter;
(2) appoint and fix the salary and duties of the Staff Director of the Sentencing Commission, who shall serve at the discretion of the Commission and who shall be compensated at a rate not to exceed the highest rate now or hereafter prescribed for Level 6 of the Senior Executive Service Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5382);
(3) deny, revise, or ratify any request for regular, supplemental, or deficiency appropriations prior to any submission of such request to the Office of Management and Budget by the Chair;
(4) procure for the Commission temporary and intermittent services to the same extent as is authorized by section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code;
(5) utilize, with their consent, the services, equipment, personnel, information, and facilities of other Federal, State, local, and private agencies and instrumentalities with or without reimbursement therefor;
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