On Monday, President Trump briefly mentioned the bill when hosting a White House dinner for evangelical leaders. "We're advancing prison reform to give former inmates a second chance," he said when listing recent successes.

However, voices on both the right and left counter that prison reform currently is anything but a White House victory. The First Step Act passed the House 360-59 in May, yet has since stalled in the Senate.

Betrayal of Conservative Reformers?

Longtime justice reform advocate Mark Holden, chairman of Freedom Partners, called the delay "a major disappointment." He stated, "It's sad that members of both parties would rather play politics than work together to advance meaningful criminal justice reforms that we know work."

During an August 1 meeting at the White House, Bishop Harry Jackson, Pastor John Gray and others pressed for passage of the First Step Act. Pastor Paula White, chairwoman of the informal Faith Leaders Initiative, was also in attendance.

One prominent black minister later made headlines calling these faith leaders "Uncle Toms" after the meeting.

Now Rev. Jamal Bryant of Empowerment AME Temple in Baltimore, MD has softened his criticism. In a new Facebook video, he urges action. "There has got to be an immediate debate on the floor of the Senate," said Bryant.

He turned to address fellow black pastors. "You claim that you were there on divine assignment. Take that authority and move in it."

Jackson was among several pastors who spoke last Saturday at OneRace Stone Mountain, a prayer gathering centered on racial reconciliation. Despite the non-political nature of the event, he offered a brief response to critics.

"Right now, the white church is apathetic," said Jackson. "And the black church is bitter. Until their hypocritical selves get up off what we used to call ‘your ol' rusty dusty' and do something, don't hate me because I'm doing something."

A prominent voice on the White House faith advisory council, Jackson further pressed for passage of the bill in an op-ed last week in The Christian Post.

Why Christian Leaders Support the Bill

The First Step Act seeks to bring modest reforms to the costly, overcrowded U.S. prison system. American taxpayers spend $7 billion each year to lock up approx. 200,000 offenders. Those figures alone are not the only problem... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here.

Continue reading here.

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

'We've Seen Incredible Revival': Nearly 70 Inmates Transformed by the Power of God

UK Denies Entry to Christian MP Convicted of Hate Speech for Pamphlet That Spoke against Homosexuality

'You Could Hear the Sobs of a Widow': Inside Charlie Kirk's Murder Trial

Must Watch: Rubio Goes Hard on the 'Unique Evil' of Far-Left Terrorism, Promises More to Come

Iran Targets Us Allies' Civilian Infrastructure While US Strikes Around Strategic Port City

Trump: China Accessed 220 Million US Voter Files, Deep State Hid Evidence

Archaeologists Uncover Hidden 1,600-Year-Old Christian Church Buried for Centuries

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Chokes Northern US as Flooding Slams Texas

UC San Fran Chancellor Refuses to Say If Men Can Have Babies

Former Historic Baptist Church Becomes a Mosque in This Virginia Town, and Mayor Celebrates Muslim Call to Prayer

Islamunist Mamdani's Claim that Sexual Assaults in NYC are Rising Because of 'Expanded Definition' Dismisses 'R*pe Jihad' in the Big Apple

GOP Grills AG Nominee on Abortion Drug and Trump Admin Priorities

'It Doesn't Get Bigger': Trump Drops Hint on Today's Yuge Primetime Announcement

Vice President Vance Takes Shots at Senate on Joe Rogan Episode for Delaying SAVE America Act

House Passes SAVE America Act as Part of MUST-PASS National Security Bill; Now on to the Senate

Skeptical Doctor Shocked After Blind Son's Miracle Healing, Husband's Near-Death Experience

Louisiana Pastor Sues Library After Being Fired over Preferred Pronouns

Trans Athletes Drop Challenge to New Hampshire Women's Sports Law

30,000 'Trojan Horses': Europe and Britain Face Muslim Domination and Escalating Threat of Civil War

Consumer Prices See Steepest Monthly DECLINE in More Than Six Years in June