The First Step Act (S. 756) was one of the few bipartisan reform bills signed into law during the Trump administration. Signed on December 21, 2018, it reduced some mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses, expanded early release opportunities, and improved prison conditions.

McConnell's role, however, was complicated. He initially slow-walked the bill for months, refusing to bring it to a floor vote despite broad bipartisan support and personal lobbying from President Trump and conservative allies like the Koch network. Only after sustained pressure did he relent.

The bill that passed was a compromise — far more modest than the comprehensive sentencing reform many advocates had spent years fighting for.

How It Harmed Americans:

McConnell's delays and resistance to a broader bill meant that thousands of nonviolent offenders served additional months or years in prison while he sat on the legislation. The more ambitious sentencing reforms — including eliminating the federal crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity and broader mandatory minimum reductions — were stripped out or never even considered.

The First Step Act, while a positive step, was a fraction of what could have been achieved had McConnell not stood in the way.

Reference List:

S. 756, First Step Act of 2018, 115th Congress
The Marshall Project, "What the First Step Act Does — And What It Doesn't" (2018)
Brennan Center for Justice, "The First Step Act: An Overview" (2019)
U.S. Sentencing Commission, "First Step Act of 2018: Resentencing Provisions Retroactivity Data Report"