Jeffries Bipartisan Prison Reform Bill Advances in the House of Representatives

Statement

Today, the House Judiciary Committee passed H.R. 5682, the Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed, Safely Transitioning Every Person Act (FIRST STEP). The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Republican Congressman Doug Collins (GA-9), was overwhelmingly approved today by a vote of 25-5.

The bill aims to propel formerly-incarcerated individuals toward success when they return home, while enacting targeted reforms that would improve public safety and reduce recidivism. H.R. 5682 authorizes $50 million per year for five years to develop new programs, including education, vocational training and mental health counseling. As a result, newly-released individuals will be positioned to successfully re-enter society.

Rep. Jeffries said: "The mass incarceration epidemic in America is a stain on our society that must be eradicated. Lives have been ruined, families torn apart and communities devastated. Today, we have taken a strong bipartisan step forward to address over-criminalization in America. H.R. 5682 will help thousands of incarcerated individuals get access to educational opportunities, vocational training and re-entry programming that will be transformative. The FIRST STEP Act represents the beginning of the end of over-criminalization in America."

Rep. Collins: "When we think about strengthening the justice system, we want to ask whether we assign men and women in prison to a strictly punitive road, or if we can also offer them a redemptive path forward, one that restores families and communities? The bipartisan support we saw in the Judiciary Committee today reflects the resolve that I've seen among my colleagues to take positive strides towards a restorative justice system. The FIRST STEP Act would help individuals take responsibility for their decisions and become agents of positive change in their own lives and in the lives of those around them. "I believe we can use this kind of progress to build a bridge toward additional reforms and safer communities in the days ahead, and I'm thankful to be joined in this work by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Congresswoman Karen Bass and insightful lawmakers who understand that this kind of sound policy is how we promote human dignity in our prisons and across our society."

Van Jones, President and Co-founder of #cut50 said: "It's taken a village to get this far on the FIRST STEP Act, but Congressman Hakeem Jeffries has been the unsung champion of this bill. In this environment, it is harder than it's been in a long time to put partisan politics aside, reach across the aisle, and get something meaningful done. The FIRST STEP Act would ensure people are prepared to come home from prison job-ready and have major incentives to pursue the programming that will enable them to succeed. To see many groups switch their positions from opposition or neutrality to now, voicing their support is a testament to Congressman Jeffries and Collins' skill and hard work."

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