| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | SENATE RESOLUTION | ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, America was founded on the promise of new | ||||||
3 | beginnings; and
| ||||||
4 | WHEREAS, Every year, more than 650,000 people are released | ||||||
5 | from State and Federal prisons, some leaving with nothing more | ||||||
6 | than a few dollars and a bus ticket to start their new lives; | ||||||
7 | in total, over 70 million Americans have a criminal history | ||||||
8 | record, potentially making it hard for them to secure a steady | ||||||
9 | job, safe housing, affordable health care, a good education, | ||||||
10 | or small business loans, all of which are important things to | ||||||
11 | have when trying to build a good life; studies demonstrate | ||||||
12 | that when these needs are met, not only are formerly | ||||||
13 | incarcerated people empowered but crime is prevented and our | ||||||
14 | communities are safer; and
| ||||||
15 | WHEREAS, That is why, last year, the Biden Administration | ||||||
16 | released a comprehensive strategic plan to improve the | ||||||
17 | criminal justice system and strengthen public safety, | ||||||
18 | including over 100 concrete actions that the Administration is | ||||||
19 | taking to boost public safety by improving rehabilitation in | ||||||
20 | jails and prisons, helping people rebuild their lives, and | ||||||
21 | reducing unnecessary interactions with the criminal justice | ||||||
22 | system so police officers can focus on fighting crime; and
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | WHEREAS, The Biden Administration has also invested nearly | ||||||
2 | $1 billion in job training, addiction recovery, and reentry | ||||||
3 | services across the country and has expanded access to Pell | ||||||
4 | Grants so people can earn a college degree while they are | ||||||
5 | incarcerated and can start over with new skills; the | ||||||
6 | Administration is also helping formerly incarcerated people | ||||||
7 | find good-paying jobs on projects to rebuild America funded by | ||||||
8 | the historic infrastructure law and by expanding opportunities | ||||||
9 | to serve in the Federal Government; and
| ||||||
10 | WHEREAS, At the same time, the Biden Administration has | ||||||
11 | taken historic steps to end America's failed approach to | ||||||
12 | marijuana; incarceration for marijuana possession alone has | ||||||
13 | destroyed too many lives, particularly for Black and Brown | ||||||
14 | Americans who have been arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at | ||||||
15 | higher rates than other racial and ethnic groups; in 2022, | ||||||
16 | President Biden asked the Secretary of Health and Human | ||||||
17 | Services Xavier Becerra and Attorney General Merrick Garland | ||||||
18 | to start formally reviewing how marijuana is scheduled under | ||||||
19 | Federal law; he has issued categorical pardons for people | ||||||
20 | convicted for simple marijuana possession and use under | ||||||
21 | Federal and D.C. law while urging governors to do the same on | ||||||
22 | the State level; it is unethical for a person to be in jail or | ||||||
23 | prison for using or possessing marijuana alone; and
| ||||||
24 | WHEREAS, Meanwhile, the Biden Administration has made |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | historic investments to expand access to mental health and | ||||||
2 | substance use services; and
| ||||||
3 | WHEREAS, The Biden Administration has also provided $400 | ||||||
4 | million to prevent juvenile justice involvement and to make | ||||||
5 | these systems more responsive to the needs of youth and over $3 | ||||||
6 | billion in funding for education programs that provide | ||||||
7 | support, services, and interventions to keep students | ||||||
8 | positively engaged in their schools and communities; and
| ||||||
9 | WHEREAS, By working together to improve the criminal | ||||||
10 | justice system, our communities will be safer, stronger, and | ||||||
11 | more just; these efforts will make families and communities | ||||||
12 | whole and help grow our economy, giving everyone a fair | ||||||
13 | chance; therefore, be it
|