Political Quotes

“today I join with Senator Portman to reintroduce the bipartisan Second Chance Reauthorization Act. This legislation builds on the success of the original law and takes important new steps to ensure that people coming out of prison are given a fair chance to turn their lives around. When inmates are released from prison, they face many challenges, including finding housing and employment, combating substance abuse, and accessing physical and mental healthcare. This legislation aims to improve their ability to reenter society, become productive members of their families and communities, and reduce the likelihood that they will reoffend. Investing in reentry services has been proven to reduce recidivism and bring down prison costs. It is also the right thing to do. This legislation is urgently needed. While the United States is home to less than 5 percent of the world's population, we have nearly 25 percent of the world's prison population. With more than two million people behind bars, and 650,000 ex-offenders being released each year, we need to reauthorize these critical programs that reduce crime and increase public safety. Budgets at the State and Federal level are strained by our system of mass incarceration, and we all suffer as a result. The truth is that when so much money goes to locking people away, we have fewer resources for programs that actually prevent crime in the first place.…”