WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Lawmakers and Advocates Commend President Biden's Historic Action to Commute Federal Death Row Sentences

Today, President Biden announced that he is commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. Each of these individuals will have their sentences reclassified from execution to life without the possibility of parole.

Today's historic clemency action builds on the President's record of criminal justice reform. When President Biden came into office, his Administration imposed a moratorium on federal executions, and his actions today will prevent the next Administration from carrying out the execution sentences that would not be handed down under current policy and practice.

See below for what officials, advocates and others are saying:

Elected Officials:

Senator Dick Durbin, Chairman, Judiciary Committee: "The President's decision today provides accountability with a term of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and ensures that these individuals never again pose a threat to public safety, but without implicating the myriad issues associated with capital punishment. I have long advocated for the abolition of the federal death penalty and commend @POTUS for this act of justice and mercy and for his leadership." [Twitter, 12/23/24]

Congressman Jim Clyburn, South Carolina: "I applaud @POTUS in his decision to commute the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. Many death sentences, reflecting disparate treatment and inadequate defense counsel, have been unjustly adjudicated and wrongly administered. This historic and extraordinary action is a crucial step in remedying grave injustices." [Twitter, 12/23/24]

Congressional Progressive Caucus: "This is a historic day in America. We thank President Biden for this extraordinary act to spare the 37 individuals facing the death penalty, a discriminatory and fundamentally inhumane punishment. This is a powerful use of executive action to save lives and deliver justice." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Massachusetts: "There is no action more powerful or righteous than sparing someone's life, and today President Biden is doing just that. The President's decision to commute the death sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row is a historic and groundbreaking act of compassion that will save lives, address the deep racial disparities in our criminal legal system, and send a powerful message about redemption, decency, and humanity. […] By taking this historic action, President Biden is demonstrating the type of moral leadership this moment demands." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Congressman Adriano Espaillat, New York: "Thank you @POTUS Biden for answering this call to action to address the longstanding injustices faced in our legal system. Today's action represents a core tenet of humanity and upholds the moral integrity of our nation's justice system." [Twitter, 12/23/24]

Congressman Mark Pocan, Wisconsin: "I commend @POTUS for commuting 37 death sentences to life without parole." [Twitter, 12/23/24]

Advocates and Analysts:

Derrick Johnson, President & CEO, NAACP: "We commend the President for this extraordinary act. It's good to see he is using the moral authority of his faith to do what's right. […] This is the type of legacy we would want to see any president go out on – a legacy of helping people, recognizing disparities, and addressing moral inequities." [MSNBC, 12/23/24]

Anthony Romero, Executive Director, ACLU: "President Biden has taken the most consequential step of any president in our history to address the immoral and unconstitutional harms of capital punishment. [...] This will undoubtedly be one of the seminal achievements of the Biden presidency." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Patrick Gaspard, President & CEO, Center for American Progress: "Today, President Biden was guided by his conscience to take this historic step, and in doing so, has cemented his legacy as a champion for mercy, compassion, and justice for all." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Maya Wiley, President & CEO, Leadership Conference for Civil & Human Rights: "We celebrate President Biden's important step toward mercy and fairness by commuting the majority of federal death sentences to life without the possibility of parole. […] President Biden's recognition that the death penalty must be halted at the federal level will prove to be one of the most meaningful parts of his legacy." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Martin Luther King, III: "By commuting these sentences, President Biden has done what
no President before him was willing to do: take meaningful and lasting action not just to
acknowledge the death penalty's racist roots but also to remedy its persistent unfairness." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: "My brother bishops and I unite in expressing our gratitude that President Biden has commuted the federal death sentences of 37 men. The bishops' conference has long called for an end to the use of the death penalty. This action by the president is a significant step in advancing the cause of human dignity in our nation." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Sister Helen Prejean: "NEWS: President Biden has commuted death sentences for 37 of the 40 men on federal death row. They will now serve life sentences and cannot be executed. This is a milestone in the fight to shut down the death penalty — thank you!" [Twitter, 12/23/24]

United Nations Human Rights Office: "We welcome President Biden's decision to commute federal death sentences of 37 individuals. The death penalty is inconsistent with the fundamental right to life & we urge all States that have not done so to put in place a moratorium on its use." [Twitter, 12/23/24]

Voters of Tomorrow: "Gen Z knows two wrongs don't make a right. […] Voters of Tomorrow is proud to have advocated for the commutation of these sentences."

Laurence Tribe, Harvard Law Professor: "President Biden did exactly the right thing in commuting to life in prison with no possibility of parole the sentences of 37 of the 40 federal inmates sentenced to die. Those left on death row are the 3 least deserving of mercy." [Bluesky, 12/23/24]

Brennan Center for Justice: "Today President Biden granted commutations to most people serving federal death sentences, in addition to previous actions to commute sentences of medically-vulnerable people. Both are historic moves." [Twitter, 12/23/24]

American Constitution Society: "ACS and I commend and celebrate President Biden's compassionate and courageous decision to use his constitutional authority to commute the death sentences of nearly all the people on the federal death row. By this historic act, President Biden cements his legacy and keeps his promise as the first president to publicly oppose the death penalty." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, Executive Director, Catholic Mobilizing Network: "We give thanks to God for every life that was spared by President Biden's action today. This unparalleled action should mark a turning point in our nation's justice system and serve as a model for leaders at the state level to follow suit." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Jewish Democratic Council of America: "JDCA commends President Biden for this act of justice and compassion." [Twitter, 12/23/24]

Friends Committee on National Legislation: "The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) applauds President Joe Biden's commutation of sentences for nearly all individuals on federal death row." [Statement, 12/23/24]

J2C (Justice & A 2nd Chance) Coalition: "The J2C applauds President Joe Biden for exercising fearless and morally sound leadership to commute the sentences of 37 individuals on Federal Death Row. […] With today's historic decision, President Biden has added another indelible mark on his legacy of public service to our nation."

Portia Allen-Kyle, Managing Director, Color of Change: "President Biden's use of his clemency power to commute the sentences of 37 individuals on death row is a powerful affirmation that not only is the death penalty never the answer, but there is another path forward for those who have made mistakes in life that isn't punishment: forgiveness. This action reflects the values of forgiveness, accountability, and the belief that justice must prioritize humanity over retribution." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Zoë Towns, Executive Director, FWD.us: "We join those celebrating President Biden's commutation of 37 federal death sentences and his continued commitment to fairness and racial justice." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Janai Nelson, President & Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF): "We commend President Biden for using his clemency powers to address systemic injustice and save the lives of 37 people on death row in a historic and courageous act of mercy and compassion." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Ruth Friedman, Director of the Federal Capital Habeas Project: President Biden's death penalty commutations will have a lasting, positive impact on our nation's justice system. […] With these commutations, President Biden has secured his legacy as a leader guided by integrity, empathy, and faith."

Damon Hewitt, President & Executive Director, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law: "We applaud President Biden's decision to commute the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on federal death row. […] President Biden's action today comes on the heels of his decision to commute the sentences of nearly 1,500 people who had been reintegrating into their communities while serving their sentences at home for at least one year under the CARES Act. These are important steps in the right direction." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Bryan Stevenson, Director, Equal Justice Initiative: "By commuting almost all federal death sentences, President Biden has sent a strong message to Americans that the death penalty is not the answer to our country's concerns about public safety. I commend President Biden for recognizing that we don't have to kill people to show that killing is wrong, that we can and should reduce violence in our communities by refusing to sanction more violence and killing in our courts and prisons."

Maha Jweied, CEO, Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ): "President Biden's commutations will go far with the business community, which increasingly views the death penalty as a failed, wasteful, overreaching government program. Business leaders recognize that […] justice can be served without resorting to a practice notorious for wrongful convictions, burdening taxpayers, and further tarnishing the country's human rights reputation." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Sir Richard Branson, Co-Founder, Business Leaders Against the Death Penalty: "President Biden has made a historic decision to put common sense over retribution and vengeance. […] By championing forgiveness and mercy, President Biden has come down on the right side of history." [Statement, 12/23/24]

Dan Pfeiffer, Former White House Communications Director: "Good for Joe Biden. This is how you use the last few months in office." [Bluesky, 12/23/24]

Jon Favreau, Former White House Speechwriter: "A good, humane action for Joe Biden to take. Really glad he did this." [Twitter, 12/23/24]

Tommy Vietor, Former White House Spokesman: "Good for President Biden. The death penalty is terrible policy and this is the right thing to do." [Twitter, 12/23/24]

Chris Geidner, Legal Reporter: "I still can't quite believe I was able to write this story. I am very glad that I was. And while it isn't everything, it is a lot. It's history, and it's very good." [Bluesky, 12/23/24]

Derrick Johnson, President & CEO, NAACP: "The president, with this one act, reduced the number of federal inmates on death row from 40 to 3. I think that's extraordinary." [MSNBC, 12/23/24]

Jasmine Wright, Reporter, Albritton Journalism Institute: "[W]hat he has done on crime, on criminal justice, and that's going to be a huge part, I think, of his legacy going forward." [MSNBC, 12/23/24]