Political Quotes

“I thank my good friend, the distinguished gentlewoman from the Seventh Congressional District of the great State of New York and the chairwoman of the Small Business Committee, for yielding and for her tremendous leadership. I rise in support of H.R. 5065, the Prison to Proprietorship for Formerly Incarcerated Act. Here in America, we have a mass incarceration epidemic. Last Congress, we worked in a bipartisan fashion to pass the First Step Act to help propel formerly incarcerated individuals toward success when they return home, to reduce recidivism, and to save taxpayer dollars. But the First Step Act was just that, a first step. That is why, together, we introduced the Prison to Proprietorship for Formerly Incarcerated Act, to address one of the many challenges faced by returning citizens. This bill is designed to make sure that formerly incarcerated individuals can use their God-given skills, talent, and ability to bring business and entrepreneurial activities to life in their communities. Throughout our Federal Bureau of Prisons system, there are incarcerated individuals who have the same intellect, the same ability, and the same resiliency as some of the most successful people on Wall Street back home in New York. The difference between them can often be as simple as a lack of opportunity, not a lack of entrepreneurial spirit. That is what this legislation is designed to change.…”