Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Page S1764]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
______
SENATE RESOLUTION 102--DESIGNATING APRIL 2019 AS ``SECOND CHANCE
MONTH''
Mr. PORTMAN (for himself and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:
S. Res. 102
Whereas every individual is endowed with human dignity and
value;
Whereas redemption and second chances are values of the
United States;
Whereas millions of individuals in the United States have a
criminal record;
Whereas hundreds of thousands of individuals return to
their communities from Federal and State prisons every year;
Whereas neighbors returning to their communities have paid
their debt to society after committing a crime but still face
significant legal and societal barriers (referred to in this
preamble as ``collateral consequences'');
Whereas returning individuals face collateral consequences
automatically, regardless of--
(1) a nexus between the legal or societal barrier and
public safety;
(2) the seriousness of the offense committed;
(3) the time passed since the offense; or
(4) the efforts of the individual to make amends or earn
back the trust of the public;
Whereas gaining meaningful employment is one of the most
significant predictors of successful reentry into society and
reducing future criminal activity;
Whereas many individuals who have previously been
incarcerated struggle to find employment because of
collateral consequences, which are often not directly related
to the offense committed or any proven public safety benefit;
Whereas many States have laws that prohibit an individual
with a criminal record from working in certain industries or
obtaining professional licenses;
Whereas education has also been shown to be a significant
predictor of successful reentry into society;
Whereas an individual with a criminal record often has a
lower level of educational attainment than the general
population and has significant difficulty acquiring admission
to and funding for educational programs;
Whereas an individual convicted of certain crimes is often
barred from receiving the financial aid necessary to acquire
additional skills and knowledge;
Whereas an individual with a criminal record also often
faces collateral consequences in securing a place to live;
Whereas an individual with a criminal record is often
barred from seeking access to public housing;
Whereas an individual with a criminal record also often
faces other collateral consequences, such as an inability to
regain voting rights, volunteer in the community, and secure
identification documentation;
Whereas an individual who has been convicted and
incarcerated may incur significant debt as a result of the
conviction and incarceration;
Whereas collateral consequences prevent millions of
individuals in the United States from contributing fully to
their families and communities;
Whereas collateral consequences can contribute to
recidivism, which increases crime and victimization and
decreases public safety;
Whereas the inability to find gainful employment and other
collateral consequences of conviction inhibit the economic
mobility of an individual with a criminal record, which can
negatively impact the well-being of the children and the
families of the individual for generations;
Whereas the bipartisan First Step Act of 2018 (Public Law
115-391) was signed into law on December 21, 2018, to
increase opportunities for individuals incarcerated in
Federal prison to participate in meaningful recidivism
reduction programs and prepare for a second chance;
Whereas the Second Chance Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-199;
122 Stat. 657), which has resulted in the provision of
reentry services to more than 164,000 individuals in 49
States and the District of Columbia since its enactment, was
reauthorized through the First Step Act of 2018 (Public Law
115-391);
Whereas April 21 marks the anniversary of the death of
Charles Colson, who used his second chance following his
incarceration for a Watergate-related crime to found Prison
Fellowship, the largest outreach program to prisoners, former
prisoners, and their families in the United States; and
Whereas the designation of April as ``Second Chance Month''
can contribute to increased public awareness about the impact
of collateral consequences, the need for closure for those
who have paid their debt to society, and opportunities for
individuals, employers, congregations, and communities to
extend second chances: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates April 2019 as ``Second Chance Month'';
(2) honors the work of communities, governmental
institutions, nonprofit organizations, congregations,
employers, and individuals to remove unnecessary legal and
societal barriers that prevent an individual with a criminal
record from becoming a productive member of society; and
(3) calls upon the people of the United States to observe
Second Chance Month through actions and programs that promote
awareness of those unnecessary legal and social barriers and
provide closure for individuals with a criminal record who
have paid their debt to society.
____________________
