Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. Chair, I rise today to speak in favor of the amendment offered by my colleague Congressman DELANEY.

This amendment would increase funding for Pay for Success programs within the Department of Justice to reduce recidivism and improve reentry services for individuals returning to their communities after incarceration. It shifts funds from the federal prison system to support these programs because if we can reduce recidivism, we will reduce the number of people in our criminal justice system.

The Pay for Success model allows the government to use limited resources wisely. We can invest in innovative social programs intended to improve lives while only paying for those that actually make a difference.

The United States releases 700,000 prisoners every year. Most of these individuals struggle to find a job or a place to stay. Within three years, two-thirds of them are back in prison. We need to do more to help them turn their lives around and stop this vicious cycle, but we also need to ensure that our efforts are effective. This amendment will help us do both.

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