Skip to main content
HR 1693 117th Congress House Crime and Law Enforcement Criminal procedure and sentencing Drug trafficking and controlled substances

EQUAL Act

Introduced: July 19, 2021 Introduced by: Jeffries, Hakeem S. Democratic · New York See on congress.gov
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 18 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 29, 2021
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Sep 28, 2021
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Sep 28, 2021
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1693.
Sep 28, 2021
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 361 - 66 (Roll no. 297). (text: CR H5477)
Sep 28, 2021
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5492-5493)
Sep 28, 2021
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Sep 28, 2021
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5477-5481)
Sep 28, 2021
Mr. Nadler moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Sep 27, 2021
Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
Sep 27, 2021
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 92.
Sep 27, 2021
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 117-128, Part I.
Jul 21, 2021
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Jul 21, 2021
Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Discharged.
Jul 21, 2021
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
May 18, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Mar 10, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 9, 2021
Introduced in House
Mar 9, 2021
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
 Votes taken on this bill 1
DateChamberWhat was voted onResultYes–No
Sep 28, 2021 House · vote #297 On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended Passed 361–66 See who voted →
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act of 2021 or the EQUAL Act of 2021

This bill eliminates the federal sentencing disparity between drug offenses involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine.

Currently, different threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine (e.g., 28 grams of crack cocaine and 500 grams of powder cocaine) trigger the same statutory criminal penalties.

This bill eliminates the lower quantity thresholds for crack cocaine offenses. Under the bill, the same threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine trigger the same statutory criminal penalties.

The change applies to future cases and cases pending on the date of enactment. With respect to past cases, the bill authorizes a sentencing court to impose a reduced sentence on a defendant who was convicted or sentenced for a specified crack cocaine offense before this bill's enactment. A defendant does not have to be present at the sentence reduction hearing. Finally, the bill prohibits the reduction of a sentence that was previously reduced.

What's happening now September 29, 2021

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 79 Identical bill EQUAL Act
 Bill text 4 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
 Cosponsors 56
All 56 Democratic 19 Republican 19
R
Salazar, Maria Elvira
Florida · Sep 27, 2021
 D
Schiff, Adam B.
California · Sep 27, 2021
 D
Williams, Nikema
Georgia · Sep 27, 2021
YOUNG, DON
· Sep 27, 2021
 D
Sherrill, Mikie
New Jersey · Sep 21, 2021
 D
Espaillat, Adriano
New York · Sep 20, 2021
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · Sep 20, 2021
COOPER, JAMES
· Sep 14, 2021
Keller, Fred
· Sep 10, 2021
 R
Hinson, Ashley
Iowa · Aug 31, 2021
Blumenauer, Earl
· Aug 17, 2021
 R
Timmons, William R.
South Carolina · Aug 17, 2021
Malinowski, Tom
· Jul 27, 2021
 D
Mfume, Kweisi
Maryland · Jul 27, 2021
 R
Norman, Ralph
South Carolina · Jul 27, 2021
 D
Strickland, Marilyn
Washington · Jul 27, 2021
 D
Bonamici, Suzanne
Oregon · Jul 22, 2021
Cicilline, David
· Jul 22, 2021
 R
McClintock, Tom
California · Jul 20, 2021
 R
Owens, Burgess
Utah · Jul 20, 2021
Gohmert, Louie
· Jul 19, 2021
Yarmuth, John
· Jul 19, 2021
 D
Cleaver, Emanuel
Missouri · Jul 9, 2021
 R
Crenshaw, Dan
Texas · Jul 9, 2021
 R
Lucas, Frank D.
Oklahoma · Jun 15, 2021
Maloney, Sean
· Jun 15, 2021
 R
Bilirakis, Gus M.
Florida · Jun 1, 2021
 D
Dean, Madeleine
Pennsylvania · Jun 1, 2021
 D
Clark, Katherine M.
Massachusetts · May 25, 2021
Demings, Val
· May 20, 2021
 R
Johnson, Dusty
South Dakota · May 18, 2021
 D
Boyle, Brendan F.
Pennsylvania · May 17, 2021
 D
Raskin, Jamie
Maryland · May 14, 2021
 D
Tlaib, Rashida
Michigan · May 14, 2021
 R
Bice, Stephanie I.
Oklahoma · May 13, 2021
Jackson Lee, Sheila
· May 13, 2021
 D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · May 13, 2021
Jones, Mondaire
· May 12, 2021
 R
Joyce, David P.
Ohio · May 12, 2021
 R
Moore, Barry
Alabama · May 12, 2021
 D
Scanlon, Mary Gay
Pennsylvania · May 12, 2021
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · May 12, 2021
 R
Cole, Tom
Oklahoma · May 11, 2021
 R
Reschenthaler, Guy
Pennsylvania · Apr 19, 2021
 R
Spartz, Victoria
Indiana · Apr 15, 2021
 D
Lieu, Ted
California · Apr 14, 2021
Meijer, Peter
· Apr 14, 2021
 R
Massie, Thomas
Kentucky · Apr 13, 2021
Trone, David
· Apr 13, 2021
 D
Cohen, Steve
Tennessee · Apr 8, 2021
Page 1 of 2 Next
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1693: EQUAL Act of 2021. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1693/
MLA
"H.R. 1693: EQUAL Act of 2021." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1693/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1693, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1693/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1693: EQUAL Act of 2021](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1693/)
Report a problem