“Throughout the 1970s, '80s and '90s, federal mandatory minimum laws were implemented that forced judges to deliver sentences far lengthier than they would have if allowed to use their own discretion. The result has been decades of damage, particularly to young people.”

American politician, since 2011

Randal Howard Paul is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Kentucky since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee. He is best known for his work in the Senate, where he represents Kentucky and holds a leadership role on homeland security matters. His public profile is tied to national politics and to the positions he takes as a Republican senator.