President Joe Biden will commute the sentences of almost 1,500 offenders and pardon 39 others, in what the White House said early Thursday was the biggest number of commutations and clemencies granted in a single day.

Explaining what may become a defining act in the dying days of his presidency, Biden said in a statement: “America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances.”

Biden continued. “As president, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses.”

The move comes almost two weeks after Biden announced that he had pardoned his son, Hunter, who was due to be sentenced on Thursday for a conviction on federal gun charges. He had also pleaded guilty to a separate federal tax evasion charge. Earlier, Biden had ruled out using his executive powers to pardon his son.