WASHINGTON (AP) — A widening Republican rift over revamping the nation’s criminal justice system is dashing hopes for overhaul in the final year of President Barack Obama’s tenure despite strong bipartisan support and a concerted effort by the second-ranking GOP senator.

As one of the issue’s top advocates in Congress, John Cornyn of Texas faces reluctance from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, opposition from home-state Senate colleague and Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz and reservations from several GOP senators, who expressed their concerns at a closed-door meeting last week.

As opposition has grown, Cornyn is lowering expectations for election-year success.

“I am hopeful, but I don’t think it’s critical we do it this year,” the three-term senator said in an interview with The Associated Press a day after the private Republican caucus meeting. “I have been involved in a lot of fights around here that have taken us years to get things done. And ultimately the question is, can you get it done at some point.”

The bipartisan legislation, passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in November, would give judges discretion to give lesser sentences than federal mandatory minimums, eliminating mandatory life sentences for three-time, nonviolent drug offenders. It also would create programs to help prisoners successfully re-enter society. The idea is to make the sentencing system fairer, reduce recidivism and contain rising prison costs.

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