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[Pages S1875-S1876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
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SENATE RESOLUTION 549--DESIGNATING APRIL 2020 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. 549
Whereas every individual is endowed with human dignity and
value;
Whereas redemption and second chances are values of the
United States;
Whereas millions of citizens of 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 individuals returning from Federal and State
prisons have paid their debt for committing crimes but still
face significant legal and societal barriers (referred to in
this preamble as ``collateral consequences'');
Whereas collateral consequences for an individual returning
from a Federal or State prison are mandatory and take effect
automatically, regardless of--
(1) whether there is a nexus between the crime and public
safety;
(2) the seriousness of the crime;
(3) the time that has passed since the individual committed
the crime; or
(4) the efforts of the individual to make amends or earn
back the trust of the public;
Whereas, for individuals returning to their communities
from Federal and State prisons, gaining meaningful employment
is one of the most significant predictors of successful
reentry and has been shown to reduce 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 offenses the individuals 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, in addition to employment, education has also been
shown to be a significant predictor of successful reentry for
individuals returning from Federal and State prisons;
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 who has been 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--
(1) faces collateral consequences in securing a place to
live; and
(2) is often barred from seeking access to public housing;
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 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 prisons to participate in meaningful recidivism
reduction programs and prepare for their second chances;
Whereas the programs authorized by the Second Chance Act of
2007 (Public Law 110-199)--
(1) have provided reentry services to more than 164,000
individuals in 49 States and the District of Columbia since
the date of enactment of the Act; and
(2) were reauthorized by the First Step Act of 2018 (Public
law 115-391);
Whereas 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 program in the United States that provides outreach
to prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, falls on
April 21; and
Whereas the designation of April as ``Second Chance Month''
may contribute to--
(1) increased public awareness about--
(A) the impact of collateral consequences; and
(B) the need for closure for individuals with a criminal
record who have paid their debt; and
(2) opportunities for individuals, employers,
congregations, and communities to extend second chances to
those individuals: Now, therefore, be it
[[Page S1876]]
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates April 2020 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 individuals with criminal
records from becoming productive members of society; and
(3) calls upon the people of the United States to observe
Second Chance Month through actions and programs that--
(A) promote awareness of those unnecessary legal and social
barriers; and
(B) provide closure for individuals with a criminal record
who have paid their debt.
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