HOUSE INCLUDES $165 MILLION FOR BIPARTISAN FIRST STEP ACT IN APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE FUNDING BILL - $90 MILLION INCREASE FROM FY 2020
WHILE YOU WERE LOOKING THE OTHER WAY…
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies today voted in favor of $165 million for First Step Act implementation, an increase of $90 million above the FY 2020 enacted level of $75 million. Despite heated rhetoric, historic gridlock and partisan politics in Congress, criminal justice reform continues to be a bipartisan priority, and a political winner for legislators from the left, right and in the middle. If increased funding for First Step is possible in this environment, then many other criminal justice reform proposals making their way through Congress are too.
THE IMPACT…
The First Step Act was the most significant piece of federal criminal justice reform in decades, addressing everything from mandatory minimum sentencing, to elderly and compassionate relief, reentry, earned credit incentives, and more. It has already changed thousands of lives for the better – but proper funding is key to its success. This funding goes towards transformative reentry programming and vocational training that helps educate, train, and prepare incarcerated people for a successful transition back into society. In other words, this funding could mean the difference between someone turning their life around, finding a job and contributing to society, or ending up back in prison. Ultimately, these programs save taxpayer dollars, as they are proven to reduce recidivism, leading to lower crime and less money spent on incarceration.
A STATEMENT FROM JUSTICE ACTION NETWORK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HOLLY HARRIS…
“The First Step Act is already changing thousands of lives and bringing loved ones serving unfairly harsh sentences home to their families, but in order for this bill to live up to its transformative promise, proper funding is necessary. That’s why we’re so encouraged to see the Appropriations Committee include $165 million in funding for the implementation of the bipartisan First Step Act in their funding bill. Not only would this funding help individuals turn their lives around, but it would make our communities safer, and save taxpayer dollars in the future. I’d like to thank members of the Appropriations Committee for supporting this critical funding, and urge Congress to keep this momentum going and pass additional bipartisan criminal justice reforms that are needed now more than ever.”
WHILE YOU’RE HERE…LET’S TALK COVID-19 IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM…
Last week, the U.S. hit a grim and sadly overlooked milestone – more than 50,000 cases of COVID-19 in prisons, and 10,000 cases among correctional staff. Simply put – the situation in our prisons is at a breaking point, and you can’t lock a virus in a cell. There are three key ways for Congress to address this growing crisis in our prisons, with legislation on the move. Here’s what to look out for in the coming weeks before Congress heads home for August recess:
CARES 2.0 – Advocates and criminal justice champions in Congress are working around the clock to secure critical funding for state and local jurisdictions that safely reduce incarceration rates, which could support improved medical care, testing and treatment; expanded alternatives to incarceration; addiction and mental health treatment; and increased access to technology for justice system first responders. The provision is a plea from state and local criminal justice officials in more than a dozen states serving on the Covid-19 Emergency Justice Taskforce.
Paycheck Protection Program Second Chance Act – Introduced by Senators Portman, Cardin, Booker and Lankford, the bipartisan bill would remove barriers to PPP for business owners with unrelated felony records while preserving the presumption of innocence and keeping in place the five year timeframe for felony crimes related to financial fraud.
Elderly Release – Introduced by the bipartisan duo of Senators Durbin and Grassley, this bill would help protect seniors – the fastest growing portion of the prison population and most vulnerable to COVID-19. We know COVID-19 hits the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions the hardest, and measures like social distancing are impossible in prisons. That’s why getting seniors who do not pose a risk to public safety into home detention must be a top priority for Congress – or more lives will be lost.