Second Chance Act

Floor Speech

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of reauthorizing the Second Chance Act.

I'd like to thank my dear friend and colleague Rep. Danny Davis for being such a vocal and tireless advocate on what is a critical issue for communities in my district and throughout the country.

I'd also like to thank my colleague Jim Sensenbrenner for his work on this issue and for introducing, along with Congressman Davis, H.R. 3465 which would reauthorize this important law.

The Second Chance Act, signed into law in 2008, has provided important resources and support to individuals re-entering their communities after being incarcerated.

It has support from a broad coalition of organizations including from the civil rights, law enforcement, and behavioral health communities, in addition to many others.

Since becoming law, the Second Chance Act has authorized nearly 600 grants that have been award to local governments and nonprofit organizations in 49 states.

These grants have played a critical role in addressing recidivism and increasing public safety.

In my own district in the city of Oakland, a program known as the Comprehensive Community Cross System Reentry Support or C\3\RS, brings together government and nonprofit partners to re-engage youth in school after leaving a juvenile detention center.

This has been a tremendously successful program. Of the 592 program participants, 442 were reenrolled in school and of the 161 who received job training, 102 were placed in jobs.

This is but one example of the hundreds of successful programs that have helped previously incarcerated individuals get back on their feet and on the right path.

That is why it is so important that we move swiftly to reauthorize the Second Chance Act.

I call on House Republican leadership to bring this measure to the floor for a vote and give our communities and previously incarcerated individuals the support they need.

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