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From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 24--CONDEMNING THE COMMUTATION OF THE DEATH SENTENCE 
  OF ANTHONY GEORGE BATTLE GRANTED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN ON DECEMBER 23, 
                                  2024

  Mr. COTTON submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary:

                               S. Res. 24

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE COMMUTATION OF 
                   THE DEATH SENTENCE OF ANTHONY GEORGE BATTLE 
                   GRANTED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN ON DECEMBER 23, 
                   2024.

       It is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) President Joseph R. Biden undermined the rule of law 
     and robbed victims of justice when he commuted the death 
     sentence of Anthony George Battle on December 23, 2024;
       (2) Anthony Battle was convicted of murdering his wife, a 
     U.S. Marine, and sentenced to life imprisonment;
       (3) while Battle was serving his life sentence at Atlanta 
     Federal Penitentiary, he murdered a 31-year-old correctional 
     officer named D'Antonio Washington by bludgeoning Washington 
     in the back of the head repeatedly with a ball-peen hammer;
       (4) when Battle was questioned by investigators, he had no 
     remorse and stated that he was ``happy'' he killed 
     Washington;
       (5) this commutation is a reprehensible insult to the 
     victims of Anthony Battle;
       (6) President Biden claimed that he commuted the death 
     sentences of Anthony Battle and 36 other murderers out of a 
     principled opposition to the death penalty but refused to 
     commute the death sentences of the 3 most controversial death 
     row inmates, demonstrating that President Biden was motivated 
     by politics, not principles; and
       (7) the Senate unequivocally condemns this commutation.

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