EQUAL Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 16, 2023

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

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 resentencing of a defendant who was convicted or sentenced for a crack cocaine offense before the date of enactment.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] · D–NJ

Committees

Judiciary Committee

9 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Feb 16, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Feb 16, 2023
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Feb 16, 2023 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HR 1062 · EQUAL Act

Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.524 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss S.524, 118th Congress: EQUAL Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/524

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2023-02-16.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/s524/BILLS-118s524is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:51:27Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.524 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.524 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss S.524, 118th Congress: EQUAL Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/524

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2023-02-16.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/s524/BILLS-118s524is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:51:27Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.524 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.524 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.524, 118th Congress: EQUAL Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/524

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2023-02-16.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/s524/BILLS-118s524is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:51:27Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.524 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.524 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.524, 118th Congress: EQUAL Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/524

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2023-02-16.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/s524/BILLS-118s524is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:51:27Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.524 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.