It's been clear for some time that Congress overreacted to the crack "epidemic" in the mid-1980s by providing the same sentence for 5 grams of crack cocaine as for 500 grams of powder. Stated another way, a major pusher with 499 grams of powder cocaine gets a lower sentence than a smaller fish with 5 grams of crack. Though it is generally agreed something needs to be done, there has been deadlock on exactly what to do.

Senators Sessions, Pryor, Cornyn, and Salazar have introduced S. 1383, available through Thomas. This bill reduces the powder threshold for the mandatory minimum from 5kg to 4kg and increases that for crack from 5g to 20g, leaving a 20/1 ratio. The bill also seeks to increase the sentencing spread between leaders and minor followers in drug enterprises, directing the Sentencing Commission to increase the former and decrease the latter.

Senator Biden has introduced S. 1711 (hat tip, SL&P). The text isn't on Thomas yet, but his introductory remarks are in the Congressional Record at S8614-S8615. One historical nugget in his remarks: The Reagan Administration proposed a 20/1 ratio. It was Sens. Biden, Byrd, and Dole who upped it to 100.