**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**DATELINE: WASHINGTON, D.C.**
**WHO:** Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
**WHAT:** Announced her formal endorsement of a proposed federal framework for state-level criminal justice reform. The framework, developed by a bipartisan group of former prosecutors, aims to standardize sentencing guidelines for non-violent drug offenses while simultaneously increasing funding for witness protection programs in organized crime cases.
**WHEN:** This announcement was made at a press conference held earlier today, March 5, 2024, at 10:00 AM EST.
**WHERE:** The press conference took place at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
**WHY:** Bondi cited a need for "balanced accountability" in the justice system, arguing that current disparities between federal and state sentencing create legal loopholes for organized crime networks. She further stated that the proposal is designed to protect victims and witnesses without decriminalizing dangerous substances.
**CONTEXT:** The endorsement comes amid a contentious debate on Capitol Hill regarding the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, an issue Bondi has been heavily involved with since her tenure as a state prosecutor. Critics of the proposal argue it does not adequately address disproportionate incarceration rates among minority communities.