Story highlights Obama's total commutations are now more than the previous 11 presidencies combined

He will continue to grant commutations throughout the rest of his presidency, which ends in January

(CNN) President Barack Obama reduced the sentences of 79 more inmates Tuesday, marking his 1,000th commutation -- a milestone for his record-setting effort to reverse harsh sentences.

Obama plans to grant commutations throughout the rest of his presidency, White House counsel Neil Eggleston on a call with reporters, and administration officials are moving swiftly to go through the thousands of remaining petitions.

The total commutations are now more than the previous 11 presidencies combined, according to the White House. Of those total commutations, 342 were serving life sentences and 839 have been granted this year.

Obama has previously said he hopes to bring the existing sentences of inmates more in line with current laws, which have been relaxed after an era of strict mandatory minimums mostly related to non-violent drug crimes.

Sentence reform advocates feel a sense of urgency because they doubt the Trump administration will continue Obama's initiative to provide relief to nonviolent drug offenders, some of whom are serving four or more times the sentence they would receive today, according to administration officials.

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