Coronavirus

Floor Speech

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Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, people often think of prisons as places only to send criminals and then forget about them. But as I have noted here before, most inmates will one day be released.

Helping former criminals become productive citizens is very much an important function of our prison system. In recent weeks, inmates in the Iowa prison system have acquired what you might consider strange skills--but they are new skills--and even monetary allowances. They have done this by producing personal protective equipment, like face shields and masks. During this time of the virus pandemic, we all know what those are used for.

I commend these efforts by our prisoners and our prison system promoting this sort of training. They will help to protect the health and safety of the prisons and our State in the short term, but they will also help inmates in the long term.

These inmates are providing an essential public service, and for that they deserve our appreciation. It is an important contribution that I hope they will long remember and that will help them to be productive members of society when they finish their sentences.

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