Congresswoman Laurel Lee Introduces Legislation to Reform Federal Supervised Release, Reduce Waste, and Strengthen Reentry

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Laurel Lee (R-FL-15), joined by Reps. Deborah Ross (D-NC-02), Mark Harris (R-NC-13), and Lucy McBath (D-GA-07), introduced the Safer Supervision Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that reins in the federal supervised release system and ensures it is focused, effective, and accountable to taxpayers. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Chris Coons (D-CT) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

Federal supervised release plays a critical role in public safety and successful reentry. But over time, its use has expanded far beyond what Congress envisioned, placing more than 110,000 people under supervision—often without a meaningful assessment of individual risk or need. This strains probation officers and limits their ability to focus on the individuals who genuinely require close monitoring.

These pressures burden families and divert attention away from the cases where supervision is most essential. The Safer Supervision Act strengthens this important system by ensuring supervision is targeted, individualized, and aligned with best practices—supporting officers, improving public safety, and helping people who are working hard to rebuild their lives.

“The Safer Supervision Act restores federal supervised release to its original mission: improving public safety by focusing resources on the individuals who truly need supervision—not those who have demonstrated accountability and readiness to return to productive lives,” said Rep. Laurel Lee. “This bipartisan bill strengthens oversight where it matters most, reduces needless government bureaucracy, and saves taxpayer dollars, all while helping Americans succeed after they have served their sentences.”

“Unfortunately, our country’s federal supervision system is overburdened and failing to function as intended,”said Congresswoman Deborah Ross.“As a result, parole officers are spread too thin, and individuals who are committed to rebuilding their lives and reentering society aren’t able to access the support they need. The bipartisan Safer Supervision Act will make necessary reforms to our criminal justice system that will encourage rehabilitation and good conduct while reducing recidivism and bolstering public safety.”

“Far too many people are caught in a federal justice system that no longer reflects the needs of our communities,”said Rep. McBath. “The Safer Supervision Act helps modernize that system so that post-release supervision is used where it is truly needed, rather than applied as a one-size-fits-all requirement. By rewarding rehabilitation and good conduct, we can reduce recidivism and support reintegration into our communities. This bill strengthens public safety while giving individuals a real chance to rebuild their lives—something we should all support.”

“Probation officers and judges know exactly which criminals are high-risk repeat offenders in need of monitoring through supervised release,”said Senator Mike Lee. “But when runaway government programs tie judges’ hands and spread officers’ time too thin, our streets become dangerous, and the same people return to prison again and again. The bipartisan Safer Supervision Act allows our law enforcement to focus on the most dangerous criminals to reduce both repeated crime and government waste at the same time.”

“For far too long, our federal supervision system has failed to deliver real rehabilitation for those who served their time, harming former prisoners and the public as a whole,” said Senator Chris Coons.“After people complete their sentences, they deserve a fair chance to rebuild their lives. The Safer Supervision Act will help focus our resources where they're needed most, thereby improving public safety and giving all those under supervision an opportunity to succeed. I urge my colleagues and this administration to follow through on the promise of improving our justice and prison systems by taking up this bipartisan effort.”

The Safer Supervision Act advances several key reforms that reflect best practices from federal probation officers, law-enforcement leaders, and states across the country:

• Reinstating individualized decision-making: Judges must consider risk assessments and reentry needs before imposing supervised release, ensuring it is applied only when necessary and tailored to support both safety and rehabilitation.
• Incentivizing good conduct and rehabilitation: The legislation establishes a rebuttable presumption for early termination after half the supervision term—two-thirds for violent offenses—when individuals have complied with conditions and pose no public safety risk. This rewards rehabilitation and allows probation officers to focus resources on higher-risk cases.
• Restoring judicial discretion for low-level drug possession: For low-level possession offenses with no intent to distribute, judges may choose treatment-focused responses instead of automatic revocation and reincarceration, helping individuals maintain employment, housing, and family stability.
• Increasing transparency and accountability: A comprehensive federal report will give Congress better data on workforce needs, caseloads, outcomes, and funding to guide future reforms and ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively.

The Safer Supervision Act is backed by a broad, bipartisan coalition, including the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, National District Attorneys Association, Major Cities Chiefs Association, Conservative Political Action Conference, Americans for Prosperity, Right on Crime, America First Policy Institute, Club for Growth, Prison Fellowship, Federal Public and Community Defenders, U.S. Conference of Mayors, The Sentencing Project, Drug Policy Alliance, Catholic Charities USA, and REFORM Alliance.

“The Safer Supervision Act will advance reentry success, strengthen officer wellness, and enhance public safety,”said Heather Rice-Minus, Prison Fellowship CEO and president.“Our Christian faith teaches that accountability and compassion must work together, and this bill will create a supervision system in which people can succeed, officers are supported, and those returning home can become better neighbors in their communities.”

“The Safer Supervision Act embodies CPAC’s conservative principles of accountability and redemption,”said Patrick Plein, Director of the Conservative Political Action Conference’s Nolan Center for Justice.“By incentivizing positive behavior and providing a path for early termination of supervision for those who have proven themselves worthy, Congress can help probation officers focus on those who really are in need of intensive supervision. This targeted approach places resources where they belong, helping stop crimes before they happen, shielding families and neighborhoods from preventable victimization. Giving probation officers these tools for success improves public safety. Advancing this legislation will make our neighborhoods safer by ensuring proactive, targeted oversight where it is needed most.”

"NDAA supports the Safer Supervision Act which emphasizes individualized assessments at the sentencing stage, leading to a more tailored and just application of supervised release,” said Nelson Bunn, Executive Director of the National District Attorneys Association. “Additionally, the increased support for federal probation officers enables them to manage their caseloads more effectively and focus on the high-risk individuals who need close supervision. The Safer Supervision Act strikes the right balance of fairness, rehabilitation, and our unwavering commitment to public safety." 

“Supervised release should serve one clear purpose: to improve public safety,” said Brett Tolman, Executive Director of Right On Crime and former U.S. Attorney. “Today, hundreds of thousands of Americans remain under supervision long after demonstrating rehabilitation. This outdated system wastes taxpayer dollars and strains law enforcement resources. The Safer Supervision Act restores focus and balance—prioritizing accountability, rehabilitation, and the safe reintegration of individuals into their communities.”

“The MCCA offers a strong endorsement of the Safer Supervision Act of 2025,” said Chief Harold Medina of the Albuquerque Police Department, President of the Major Cities Chiefs Association. “The legislation strikes the proper balance of reform and public safety. The bill will ultimately ensure the supervised release system provides relief to non-violent offenders while holding repeat and violent offenders accountable. The MCCA thanks the bipartisan cosponsors for their leadership on this issue.” 

"The Safer Supervision Act is a commonsense, bipartisan reform that strengthens both public safety and the integrity of federal supervision. By restoring judicial discretion, incentivizing rehabilitation, and ensuring resources are focused where they’re most needed, this legislation helps our system work smarter and fairer,"said Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) National President Mathew Silverman."Just as importantly, it recognizes the vital role of Federal Probation and Pretrial Services Officers by addressing longstanding inequities and improving the support they need to manage growing caseloads. We applaud the bill sponsors for their leadership and commitment to safer, more effective supervision.”

“The SAFER Supervision Act aligns with APPA's National Standards for Community Supervision by recognizing what research and experience show — that supervision officers require manageable caseloads to reduce recidivism and keep communities safe,” said American Probation and Parole Association Executive Director and CEO Veronica Cunningham.“When caseloads are smaller, officers can concentrate on developing tailored individualized case plans that include evidence-based interventions and strategies to address underlying challenges. A widely accepted framework in community supervision, the Risk-Needs-Responsivity model, emphasizes individualized assessments as opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach, relationship-based supervision, and directing resources where they are most needed. These principles enable officers to foster positive, supportive relationships, ultimately leading to better outcomes. This crucial legislation enables our federal probation officers to use the tools that research has proven to be effective and beneficial to those assigned to supervision and society as a whole.”

“Unify.US strongly supports the Safer Supervision Act,” said Timothy R. Head, President of Unify.US. “This conservative proposal updates and modernizes the federal probation system to improve community safety. The legislation was developed by conservative policymakers in the House and Senate in response to an unsustainable increase in the number of people sentenced to federal supervision after they have been incarcerated.  If enacted, it would foster accountability, incentivize good behavior, and reduce the number of cases where supervision is no longer necessary.  Making the justice system more effective without having to turn to increased spending is a hallmark of sound policy and good governance.  Unify.US is proud to stand with the authors of this important proposal."

“The Safer Supervision Act will ensure our justice system continues to hold people accountable while shifting focus to rehabilitation, community success, and breaking cycles of crime,” said Jessica Jackson, Chief Advocacy and Operations Officer at REFORM Alliance.“The evidence-based policies in this legislation build upon supervision reform laws successfully implemented in red and blue states alike that make the system work better for everyone – people on supervision, supervision officers, crime survivors, our workforce, and the entire country. REFORM Alliance is proud to be a member of the Safer Supervision Coalition endorsing this bill and we applaud the authors for taking this important step toward making communities safer, saving taxpayer dollars and improving outcomes for people on supervised release.”

“Prison Fellowship supports the Safer Supervision Act because it reflects our belief that every person has God-given dignity and the potential to change,” said Heather Rice-Minus, President & CEO, Prison Fellowship. “This legislation strengthens accountability while advancing public safety, creating a system that restores lives, supports officers, and builds safer, more hopeful communities.” 

"The Safer Supervision Act is a responsible, data-driven approach to improving federal probation and supervised release,” said Jason Pye, Vice President of Due Process Institute. “Today, too many low-risk individuals are trapped in a cycle of technical violations that waste taxpayer dollars and distract officers from focusing on real threats to public safety. This bill strengthens accountability by targeting supervision resources where they are most needed. It also reduces unnecessary incarceration and encourages rehabilitation for those who want to work and contribute to society. By modernizing outdated practices and emphasizing evidence-based oversight, the Safer Supervision Act delivers smarter justice, supports victims, and keeps communities secure without growing government or compromising safety."