court, however, determined that Hill satisfied the criteria of a "safety-valve” provision that permits shorter sentences for first-time offenders. See 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f)(l)-(5) (1994); U.S.S.G. § 5C1.2. The district court, therefore, sentenced Hill under the Sentencing Guidelines without regard to the statutory minimum sentence. 7 . U.S.S.G. § 5G 1.3(b) & comment, (n.2). 8 . Hill will complete the sentence challenged here approximately two months before he will complete the sentence for the conspiracy conviction. The district court agreed that if Hill's Texas sentence was further reduced, he could seek an additional reduction of his South Carolina sentence. 9 . U.S.S.G. § 5K1.1, comment, (backg’d.); see Stinson v. United States, 508 U.S. 36, 113 S.Ct. 1913, 123 L.Ed.2d 598 (1993) (<HOLDING>). 10 . 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a) (1994). 11 . See
recognizing the guidelines commentary is authoritative holding that commentary to the guidelines is treated as an agencys interpretation of its own legislative rule holding that sentencing guidelines commentary which is interpretive and instructive to application of a guideline is binding on federal courts holding that commentary accompanying guidelines is binding holding that guidelines commentary is generally authoritative