[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 161 (Wednesday, November 13, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8001-S8006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mr. Portman, Mr. Durbin, Ms. 
        Klobuchar, Mr. Franken, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Brown, Ms. Landrieu, 
        and Mr. Menendez):
  S. 1690. A bill to reauthorize the Second Chance Act of 2007; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today I join with Senator Portman to 
introduce the bipartisan Second Chance Reauthorization Act, a bill that 
builds on recent successes and takes important new steps to ensure that 
people coming out of prison have the opportunity to turn their lives 
around, rather than returning to a life of crime. Investing in 
community-based reentry programs prevents crime, reduces prison costs, 
improves public safety, and saves taxpayer dollars. It is also the 
right thing to do.
  This important legislation improves Federal reentry policy and funds 
collaborations between State and local corrections agencies, 
nonprofits, educational institutions, service providers, and families 
to ensure that former offenders have the resources and support they 
need to become contributing members of the community. Our bill also 
seeks to expand upon the successes of the original Second Chance Act by 
continuing, improving, and consolidating its programs, while 
reauthorizing these important grant programs at reduced levels in 
recognition of current fiscal constraints.
  In 2008, I joined with Senators Biden, Specter, and Brownback as an 
original cosponsor of the Second Chance Act, and helped to shepherd 
that legislation through the Senate. I was proud when the Senate 
recognized the value

[[Page S8002]]

of the Second Chance Act and, after a great deal of work and 
compromise, passed the bill unanimously.
  The bipartisan spirit of this legislation also continues in the 
House, where today Representatives Sensenbrenner and Davis will 
introduce an identical version of the Senate bill authored by myself 
and Senator Portman. Together, we have been working hard for the past 
several months to reach an agreement that is fair, fiscally 
responsible, and meets the needs of key stakeholders. As a result, we 
have the support of faith groups, law enforcement, and community groups 
who provide services to the mentally ill and those struggling with 
addiction. This broad coalition has one thing in common--we all want to 
see our justice system work better.
  In the past few decades, Congress and the states have passed new 
criminal laws creating longer sentences for more and more crimes. As a 
result, our country currently incarcerates more than two million 
people, and more than 13 million people spend some time in jail or 
prison each year. This has resulted in severely stretched budgets and 
we have fewer resources for programs that actually prevent crime in the 
first place. We cannot afford to stay on our current path, and I am 
working on separate legislation to address the exploding costs of our 
Federal prisons. The Second Chance Reauthorization Act helps support 
innovative reentry programs at the state and local level which have 
brought down costs and reduced recidivism, and the federal system 
should replicate these efforts.
  More than 650,000 ex-offenders are released from prison each year. 
The experience inmates have in prison, how we prepare them to rejoin 
society, and how we integrate them into the broader community when they 
are released are issues that profoundly affect the communities in which 
we live.
  The Second Chance Act funds grants for key reentry programs and 
requires that these programs demonstrate measurable positive results, 
including a reduction in recidivism.
  The Second Chance Act of 2008 authorized research into educational 
methods used in prisons and jails. Today's reauthorization bill directs 
the Attorney General to review that research, identify best practices, 
and implement them in our prisons and jails.
  The bill also makes nonprofit organizations eligible for grants 
promoting family-based substance abuse treatment and training in 
technology careers. It gives priority consideration to applicants that 
conduct individualized post-release employment planning, demonstrate 
connections to employers within the local community, or track and 
monitor employment outcomes.
  This legislation also makes improvements to federal reentry policy 
that have the added benefit of reducing Bureau of Prison costs. It 
continues the successful Elderly and Family Reunification for Certain 
Non-Violent Offenders Pilot Program and expands the pool of inmates 
eligible to apply for the program.
  Finally, the Second Chance Reauthorization Act promotes 
accountability by requiring periodic audits of grantees to ensure that 
federal dollars are spent responsibly. Grantees who have unresolved 
audit problems will not be eligible for funding in future years.
  As a former prosecutor, I believe strongly in securing tough and 
appropriate prison sentences for people who break our laws. But it is 
also important that we do everything we can to ensure that when people 
get out of prison, they enter our communities as productive members of 
society, so we can start to reverse the dangerous cycle of recidivism 
and violence. The Second Chance Reauthorization Act helps break this 
cycle.
  I thank Senator Portman, Representative Sensenbrenner, and 
Representative Davis for their hard work and cooperation in leading 
these efforts. We have come together in a truly exceptional way in this 
bipartisan, bicameral effort. I am proud of the work we have done so 
far and I look forward to joining with Democrats and Republicans to get 
this bill passed and signed into law.
  Mr. President, President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1690

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Second Chance 
     Reauthorization Act of 2013''.

     SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING PROGRAMS.

       (a) Reauthorization of Adult and Juvenile Offender State 
     and Local Demonstration Projects.--Section 2976 of title I of 
     the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 
     U.S.C. 3797w) is amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
       ``(a) Grant Authorization.--The Attorney General shall make 
     grants to States, local governments, territories, or Indian 
     tribes, or any combination thereof (in this section referred 
     to as an `eligible entity'), in partnership with interested 
     persons (including Federal corrections and supervision 
     agencies), services providers, and nonprofit organizations 
     for the purpose of strategic planning and implementation of 
     adult and juvenile offender reentry projects.'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``or reentry courts,'' 
     after ``community,'';
       (B) in paragraph (6), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (C) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(8) promoting employment opportunities consistent with 
     the Transitional Jobs strategy (as defined in section 4 of 
     the Second Chance Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17502)).'';
       (3) by striking subsections (d), (e), and (f) and inserting 
     the following:
       ``(d) Combined Grant Application; Priority Consideration.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Attorney General shall develop a 
     procedure to allow applicants to submit a single application 
     for a planning grant under subsection (e) and an 
     implementation grant under subsection (f).
       ``(2) Priority consideration.--The Attorney General shall 
     give priority consideration to grant applications under 
     subsections (e) and (f) that include a commitment by the 
     applicant to partner with a local evaluator to identify and 
     analyze data that will--
       ``(A) enable the grantee to target the intended offender 
     population; and
       ``(B) serve as a baseline for purposes of the evaluation.
       ``(e) Planning Grants.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (3), the 
     Attorney General may make a grant to an eligible entity of 
     not more than $75,000 to develop a strategic, collaborative 
     plan for an adult or juvenile offender reentry demonstration 
     project as described in subsection (h) that includes--
       ``(A) a budget and a budget justification;
       ``(B) a description of the outcome measures that will be 
     used to measure the effectiveness of the program in promoting 
     public safety and public health;
       ``(C) the activities proposed;
       ``(D) a schedule for completion of the activities described 
     in subparagraph (C); and
       ``(E) a description of the personnel necessary to complete 
     the activities described in subparagraph (C).
       ``(2) Maximum total grants and geographic diversity.--
       ``(A) Maximum amount.--The Attorney General may not make 
     planning grants and implementation grants to 1 eligible 
     entity in a total amount that is more than a $1,000,000.
       ``(B) Geographic diversity.--The Attorney General shall 
     make every effort to ensure equitable geographic distribution 
     of grants under this section and take into consideration the 
     needs of underserved populations, including rural and tribal 
     communities.
       ``(3) Period of grant.--A planning grant made under this 
     subsection shall be for a period of not longer than 1 year, 
     beginning on the first day of the month in which the planning 
     grant is made.
       ``(f) Implementation Grants.--
       ``(1) Applications.--An eligible entity desiring an 
     implementation grant under this subsection shall submit to 
     the Attorney General an application that--
       ``(A) contains a reentry strategic plan as described in 
     subsection (h), which describes the long-term strategy and 
     incorporates a detailed implementation schedule, including 
     the plans of the applicant to fund the program after Federal 
     funding is discontinued;
       ``(B) identifies the local government role and the role of 
     governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations that will 
     be coordinated by, and that will collaborate on, the offender 
     reentry strategy of the applicant, and certifies the 
     involvement of such agencies and organizations;
       ``(C) describes the evidence-based methodology and outcome 
     measures that will be used to evaluate the program funded 
     with a grant under this subsection, and specifically explains 
     how such measurements will provide valid measures of the 
     impact of that program; and
       ``(D) describes how the project could be broadly replicated 
     if demonstrated to be effective.
       ``(2) Requirements.--The Attorney General may make a grant 
     to an applicant under this subsection only if the 
     application--
       ``(A) reflects explicit support of the chief executive 
     officer, or their designee, of the State, unit of local 
     government, territory, or

[[Page S8003]]

     Indian tribe applying for a grant under this subsection;
       ``(B) provides extensive discussion of the role of Federal 
     corrections, State corrections departments, community 
     corrections agencies, juvenile justice systems, and tribal or 
     local jail systems in ensuring successful reentry of 
     offenders into their communities;
       ``(C) provides extensive evidence of collaboration with 
     State and local government agencies overseeing health, 
     housing, child welfare, education, substance abuse, victims 
     services, and employment services, and with local law 
     enforcement agencies;
       ``(D) provides a plan for analysis of the statutory, 
     regulatory, rules-based, and practice-based hurdles to 
     reintegration of offenders into the community;
       ``(E) includes the use of a State, local, territorial, or 
     tribal task force, described in subsection (i), to carry out 
     the activities funded under the grant;
       ``(F) provides a plan for continued collaboration with a 
     local evaluator as necessary to meeting the requirements 
     under subsection (h); and
       ``(G) demonstrates that the applicant participated in the 
     planning grant process or engaged in comparable planning for 
     the reentry project.
       ``(3) Priority considerations.--The Attorney General shall 
     give priority to grant applications under this subsection 
     that best--
       ``(A) focus initiative on geographic areas with a 
     disproportionate population of offenders released from 
     prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities;
       ``(B) include--
       ``(i) input from nonprofit organizations, in any case where 
     relevant input is available and appropriate to the grant 
     application;
       ``(ii) consultation with crime victims and offenders who 
     are released from prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities;
       ``(iii) coordination with families of offenders;
       ``(iv) input, where appropriate, from the juvenile justice 
     coordinating council of the region;
       ``(v) input, where appropriate, from the reentry 
     coordinating council of the region; and
       ``(vi) other interested persons, as appropriate;
       ``(C) demonstrate effective case assessment and management 
     abilities in order to provide comprehensive and continuous 
     reentry, including--
       ``(i) planning for prerelease transitional housing and 
     community release that begins upon admission for juveniles 
     and jail inmates, and, as appropriate, for prison inmates, 
     depending on the length of the sentence;
       ``(ii) establishing prerelease planning procedures to 
     ensure that the eligibility of an offender for Federal, 
     tribal, or State benefits upon release is established prior 
     to release, subject to any limitations in law, and to ensure 
     that offenders obtain all necessary referrals for reentry 
     services, including assistance identifying and securing 
     suitable housing; and
       ``(iii) delivery of continuous and appropriate mental 
     health services, drug treatment, medical care, job training 
     and placement, educational services, vocational services, and 
     any other service or support needed for reentry;
       ``(D) review the process by which the applicant adjudicates 
     violations of parole, probation, or supervision following 
     release from prison, jail, or a juvenile facility, taking 
     into account public safety and the use of graduated, 
     community-based sanctions for minor and technical violations 
     of parole, probation, or supervision (specifically those 
     violations that are not otherwise, and independently, a 
     violation of law);
       ``(E) provide for an independent evaluation of reentry 
     programs that include, to the maximum extent possible, random 
     assignment and controlled studies to determine the 
     effectiveness of such programs;
       ``(F) target moderate and high-risk offenders for reentry 
     programs through validated assessment tools; and
       ``(G) target offenders with histories of homelessness, 
     substance abuse, or mental illness, including a prerelease 
     assessment of the housing status of the offender and 
     behavioral health needs of the offender with clear 
     coordination with mental health, substance abuse, and 
     homelessness services systems to achieve stable and permanent 
     housing outcomes with appropriate support service.
       ``(4) Amount.--The amount of a grant made under this 
     subsection may not be more than $925,000.
       ``(5) Period of grant.--A grant made under this subsection 
     shall be effective for a 2-year period--
       ``(A) beginning on the date on which the planning grant 
     awarded under subsection (e) concludes; or
       ``(B) in the case of an implementation grant awarded to an 
     eligible entity that did not receive a planning grant, 
     beginning on the date on which the implementation grant is 
     awarded.'';
       (4) in subsection (h)--
       (A) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs 
     (3) and (4), respectively; and
       (B) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
       ``(1) In general.--As a condition of receiving financial 
     assistance under subsection (f), each application shall 
     develop a comprehensive reentry strategic plan that--
       ``(A) contains a plan to assess inmate reentry needs and 
     measurable annual and 3-year performance outcomes;
       ``(B) uses, to the maximum extent possible, randomly 
     assigned and controlled studies, or rigorous quasi-
     experimental studies with matched comparison groups, to 
     determine the effectiveness of the program funded with a 
     grant under subsection (f); and
       ``(C) includes as a goal of the plan to reduce the rate of 
     recidivism for offenders released from prison, jail or a 
     juvenile facility with funds made available under subsection 
     (f).
       ``(2) Local evaluator.--A partnership with a local 
     evaluator described in subsection (d)(2) shall require the 
     local evaluator to use the baseline data and target 
     population characteristics developed under a subsection (e) 
     planning grant to derive a feasible and meaningful target 
     goal for recidivism reduction during the 3-year period 
     beginning on the date of implementation of the program.'';
       (5) in subsection (i)(1)--
       (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``under this section'' and inserting ``under subsection 
     (f)''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``subsection (e)(4)'' 
     and inserting ``subsection (f)(2)(D)'';
       (6) in subsection (j)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``for an implementation 
     grant under subsection (f)'' after ``applicant'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) in subparagraph (E), by inserting ``, where 
     appropriate'' after ``support''; and
       (ii) by striking subparagraphs (F), (G), and (H), and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(F) increased number of staff trained to administer 
     reentry services;
       ``(G) increased proportion of individuals served by the 
     program among those eligible to receive services;
       ``(H) increased number of individuals receiving risk 
     screening needs assessment, and case planning services;
       ``(I) increased enrollment in, and completion of treatment 
     services, including substance abuse and mental health 
     services among those assessed as needing such services;
       ``(J) increased enrollment in and degrees earned from 
     educational programs, including high school, GED, vocational 
     training, and college education;
       ``(K) increased number of individuals obtaining and 
     retaining employment;
       ``(L) increased number of individuals obtaining and 
     maintaining housing;
       ``(M) increased self-reports of successful community 
     living, including stability of living situation and positive 
     family relationships;
       ``(N) reduction in drug and alcohol use; and
       ``(O) reduction in recidivism rates for individuals 
     receiving reentry services after release, as compared to 
     either baseline recidivism rates in the jurisdiction of the 
     grantee or recidivism rates of the control or comparison 
     group.'';
       (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``facilities.'' and 
     inserting ``facilities, including a cost-benefit analysis to 
     determine the cost effectiveness of the reentry program.'';
       (D) in paragraph (4), by striking ``this section'' and 
     inserting ``subsection (f)''; and
       (E) in paragraph (5), by striking ``this section'' and 
     inserting ``subsection (f)'';
       (7) in subsection (k)(1), by striking ``this section'' each 
     place the term appears and inserting ``subsection (f)'';
       (8) in subsection (l)--
       (A) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``beginning on the date 
     on which the most recent implementation grant is made to the 
     grantee under subsection (f)'' after ``2-year period''; and
       (B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``over a 2-year period'' 
     and inserting ``during the 2-year period described in 
     paragraph (2)'';
       (9) in subsection (o)(1), by striking ``appropriated'' and 
     all that follows and inserting the following: ``appropriated 
     $35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018.''; 
     and
       (10) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(p) Definition.--In this section, the term `reentry 
     court' means a program that--
       ``(1) monitors juvenile and adult eligible offenders 
     reentering the community;
       ``(2) provides continual judicial supervision;
       ``(3) provides juvenile and adult eligible offenders 
     reentering the community with coordinated and comprehensive 
     reentry services and programs, such as--
       ``(A) drug and alcohol testing and assessment for 
     treatment;
       ``(B) assessment for substance abuse from a substance abuse 
     professional who is approved by the State or Indian tribe and 
     licensed by the appropriate entity to provide alcohol and 
     drug addiction treatment, as appropriate;
       ``(C) substance abuse treatment from a provider that is 
     approved by the State or Indian tribe, and licensed, if 
     necessary, to provide medical and other health services;
       ``(D) health (including mental health) services and 
     assessment;
       ``(E) aftercare and case management services that--
       ``(i) facilitate access to clinical care and related health 
     services; and
       ``(ii) coordinate with such clinical care and related 
     health services; and
       ``(F) any other services needed for reentry;
       ``(4) convenes community impact panels, victim impact 
     panels, or victim impact educational classes;
       ``(5) provides and coordinates the delivery of community 
     services to juvenile and adult eligible offenders, 
     including--
       ``(A) housing assistance;
       ``(B) education;
       ``(C) job training;

[[Page S8004]]

       ``(D) conflict resolution skills training;
       ``(E) batterer intervention programs; and
       ``(F) other appropriate social services; and
       ``(6) establishes and implements graduated sanctions and 
     incentives.''.
       (b) Grants for Family-Based Substance Abuse Treatment.--
     Part DD of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
     Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797s et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 2921 (42 U.S.C. 3797s), in the matter 
     preceding paragraph (1), by inserting ``nonprofit 
     organizations,'' before ``and Indian'';
       (2) in section 2923 (42 U.S.C. 3797s-2), by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(c) Priority Considerations.--The Attorney General shall 
     give priority consideration to grant applications for grants 
     under section 2921 that are submitted by a nonprofit 
     organization that demonstrates a relationship with State and 
     local criminal justice agencies, including--
       ``(1) within the judiciary and prosecutorial agencies; or
       ``(2) with the local corrections agencies, which shall be 
     documented by a written agreement that details the terms of 
     access to facilities and participants and provides 
     information on the history of the organization of working 
     with correctional populations.''; and
       (3) by striking section 2926(a) (42 U.S.C. 3797s-5(a)), and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     to carry out this part $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2014 through 2018.''.
       (c) Grant Program To Evaluate and Improve Educational 
     Methods at Prisons, Jails, and Juvenile Facilities.--Title I 
     of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 
     U.S.C. 3711 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating part KK (42 U.S.C. 3797ee et seq.) as 
     part LL;
       (2) by redesignating the second part designated as part JJ, 
     as added by the Second Chance Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-
     199; 122 Stat. 677), relating to grants to evaluate and 
     improve educational methods, as part KK;
       (3) by redesignating the second section designated as 
     section 3001 and section 3002 (42 U.S.C. 3797dd and 3797dd-
     1), as added by the Second Chance Act of 2007 (Public Law 
     110-199; 122 Stat. 677), relating to grants to evaluate and 
     improve educational methods, as sections 3005 and 3006, 
     respectively;
       (4) in section 3005, as so redesignated--
       (A) in subsection (a)--
       (i) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (ii) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) implement methods to improve academic and vocational 
     education for offenders in prisons, jails, and juvenile 
     facilities consistent with the best practices identified in 
     subsection (c).'';
       (B) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
       (C) by inserting after subsection (b), the following:
       ``(c) Best Practices.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of enactment of the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 
     2013, the Attorney General shall identify and publish best 
     practices relating to academic and vocational education for 
     offenders in prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities. The 
     best practices shall consider the evaluations performed and 
     recommendations made under grants made under subsection (a) 
     before the date of enactment of the Second Chance 
     Reauthorization Act of 2013.''; and
       (5) in section 3006, as so redesignated, by striking ``to 
     carry'' and all that follows through ``2010'' and inserting 
     ``for each of fiscal years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 
     for grants for purposes described in section 3005(a)(4)''.
       (d) Careers Training Demonstration Grants.--Section 115 of 
     the Second Chance Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17511) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by striking ``and Indian'' and inserting ``nonprofit 
     organizations, and Indian''; and
       (B) by striking ``technology career training to prisoners'' 
     and inserting ``career training, including subsidized 
     employment, when part of a training program, to prisoners and 
     reentering youth and adults'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) by striking ``technology careers training'';
       (B) by striking ``technology-based''; and
       (C) by inserting ``, as well as upon transition and reentry 
     into the community'' after ``facility'';
       (3) by striking subsections (c) and (e);
       (4) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Priority Consideration.--Priority consideration shall 
     be given to any application under this section that--
       ``(1) provides assessment of local demand for employees in 
     the geographic areas to which offenders are likely to return;
       ``(2) conducts individualized reentry career planning upon 
     the start of incarceration or post-release employment 
     planning for each offender served under the grant;
       ``(3) demonstrates connections to employers within the 
     local community; or
       ``(4) tracks and monitors employment outcomes.''; and
       (5) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
     $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 
     and 2018.''.
       (e) Offender Reentry Substance Abuse and Criminal Justice 
     Collaboration Program.--Section 201(f)(1) of the Second 
     Chance Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17521(f)(1)) is amended to read 
     as follows:
       ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 2014 through 2018.''.
       (f) Community-based Mentoring and Transitional Service 
     Grants to Nonprofit Organizations.--
       (1) In general.--Section 211 of the Second Chance Act of 
     2007 (42 U.S.C. 17531) is amended--
       (A) in the header, by striking ``MENTORING GRANTS TO 
     NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS'' and inserting ``COMMUNITY-BASED 
     MENTORING AND TRANSITIONAL SERVICE GRANTS TO NONPROFIT 
     ORGANIZATIONS'';
       (B) in subsection (a), by striking ``mentoring and other'';
       (C) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (2) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(2) transitional services to assist in the reintegration 
     of offenders into the community, including--
       ``(A) educational, literacy, and vocational, services and 
     the Transitional Jobs strategy;
       ``(B) substance abuse treatment and services;
       ``(C) coordinated supervision and comprehensive services 
     for offenders, including housing and mental and physical 
     health care;
       ``(D) family services; and
       ``(E) validated assessment tools to assess the risk factors 
     of returning inmates; and''; and
       (D) in subsection (f), by striking ``this section'' and all 
     that follows and inserting the following: ``this section 
     $15,000,000 for fiscal years 2014 through 2018.''.
       (2) Table of contents amendment.--The table of contents in 
     section 2 of the Second Chance Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17501 
     note) is amended by striking the item relating to section 211 
     and inserting the following:

``Sec. 211. Community-based mentoring and transitional service 
              grants.''.

       (g) Definitions.--
       (1) In general.--Section 4 of the Second Chance Act of 2007 
     (42 U.S.C. 17502) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

       ``In this Act--
       ``(1) the term `exoneree' means an individual who--
       ``(A) has been convicted of a Federal, tribal, or State 
     offense that is punishable by a term of imprisonment of more 
     than 1 year;
       ``(B) has served a term of imprisonment for not less than 6 
     months in a Federal, tribal, or State prison or correctional 
     facility as a result of the conviction described in 
     subparagraph (A); and
       ``(C) has been determined to be factually innocent of the 
     offense described in subparagraph (A);
       ``(2) the term `Indian tribe' has the meaning given in 
     section 901 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act 
     of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3791);
       ``(3) the term `offender' includes an exoneree; and
       ``(4) the term `Transitional Jobs strategy' means an 
     employment strategy for youth and adults who are chronically 
     unemployed or those that have barriers to employment that--
       ``(A) is conducted by State, tribal, and local governments, 
     State, tribal, and local workforce boards, and nonprofit 
     organizations;
       ``(B) provides time-limited employment using individual 
     placements, team placements, and social enterprise 
     placements, without displacing existing employees;
       ``(C) pays wages in accordance with applicable law, but in 
     no event less than the higher of the rate specified in 
     section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 
     U.S.C. 206(a)(1)) or the applicable State or local minimum 
     wage law, which are subsidized, in whole or in part, by 
     public funds;
       ``(D) combines time-limited employment with activities that 
     promote skill development, remove barriers to employment, and 
     lead to unsubsidized employment such as a thorough 
     orientation and individual assessment, job readiness and life 
     skills training, case management and supportive services, 
     adult education and training, child support-related services, 
     job retention support and incentives, and other similar 
     activities;
       ``(E) places participants into unsubsidized employment; and
       ``(F) provides job retention, re-employment services, and 
     continuing and vocational education to ensure continuing 
     participation in unsubsidized employment and identification 
     of opportunities for advancement.''.
       (2) Table of contents amendment.--The table of contents in 
     section 2 of the Second Chance Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17501 
     note) is amended by striking the item relating to section 4 
     and inserting the following:

``Sec. 4. Definitions.''.

       (h) Extension of the Length of Section 2976 Grants.--
     Section 6(1) of the Second Chance Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 
     17504(1)) is amended by inserting ``or under section 2976 of 
     the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 
     U.S.C. 3797w)'' after ``and 212''.

     SEC. 3. AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF GRANTEES.

       (a) Definition.--In this section, the term ``unresolved 
     audit finding'' means an audit

[[Page S8005]]

     report finding or recommendation that a grantee has used 
     grant funds for an unauthorized expenditure or otherwise 
     unallowable cost that is not closed or resolved during a 1-
     year period beginning on the date of an initial notification 
     of the finding or recommendation.
       (b) Audit Requirement.--Beginning in fiscal year 2013, and 
     every 3 years thereafter, the Inspector General of the 
     Department of Justice shall conduct an audit of not less than 
     5 percent of all grantees that are awarded funding under--
       (1) section 2976(b) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control 
     and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797w(b));
       (2) part CC of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
     Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797q et seq.), as 
     amended by this Act;
       (3) part DD of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
     Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797s et seq.);
       (4) part JJ of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
     Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797dd et seq.); or
       (5) section 115, 201, or 211 of the Second Chance Act of 
     2007 (42 U.S.C. 17511, 17521, and 17531).
       (c) Mandatory Exclusion.--A grantee that is found to have 
     an unresolved audit finding under an audit conducted under 
     subsection (b) may not receive grant funds under the grant 
     programs described in paragraphs (1) through (5) of 
     subsection (b) in the fiscal year following the fiscal year 
     to which the finding relates.
       (d) Priority of Grant Awards.--The Attorney General, in 
     awarding grants under the programs described in paragraphs 
     (1) through (5) of subsection (b) shall give priority to 
     eligible entities that during the 2-year period preceding the 
     application for a grant have not been found to have an 
     unresolved audit finding.

     SEC. 4. FEDERAL REENTRY IMPROVEMENTS.

       (a) Responsible Reintegration of Offenders.--Section 212 of 
     the Second Chance Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17532) is repealed.
       (b) Federal Prisoner Reentry Initiative.--Section 231 of 
     the Second Chance Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17541) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (g)--
       (A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``carried out during 
     fiscal years 2009 and 2010'' and inserting ``carried out 
     during fiscal years 2014 through 2018''; and
       (B) in paragraph (5)(A)--
       (i) in clause (i), by striking ``65 years'' and inserting 
     ``60 years''; and
       (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ``or 75 percent'' and 
     inserting ``or \2/3\'';
       (2) by striking subsection (h);
       (3) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (h); and
       (4) in subsection (h), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``2009 and 2010'' and inserting ``2014 through 2018''.
       (c) Enhancing Reporting Requirements Pertaining to 
     Community Corrections.--Section 3624(c) of title 18, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (5), in the second sentence, by inserting 
     ``, and number of prisoners not being placed in community 
     corrections facilities for each reason set forth'' before ``, 
     and any other information''; and
       (2) in paragraph (6), by striking ``the Second Chance Act 
     of 2007'' and inserting ``the Second Chance Reauthorization 
     Act of 2013''.
       (d) Termination of Study on Effectiveness of Depot 
     Naltrexone for Heroin Addiction.--Section 244 of the Second 
     Chance Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17554) is repealed.
       (e) Authorization of Appropriations for Research.--Section 
     245 of the Second Chance Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17555) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``243, and 244'' and inserting ``and 243''; 
     and
       (2) by striking ``$10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
     2009 and 2010'' and inserting ``$5,000,000 for each of the 
     fiscal years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018''.
       (f) Federal Prisoner Recidivism Reduction Programming 
     Enhancement.--
       (1) In general.--Section 3621 of title 18, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (A) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and
       (B) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
       ``(g) Partnerships to Expand Access to Reentry Programs 
     Proven to Reduce Recidivism.--
       ``(1) Definition.--The term `demonstrated to reduce 
     recidivism' means that the Director of Bureau of Prisons has 
     determined that appropriate research has been conducted and 
     has validated the effectiveness of the type of program on 
     recidivism.
       ``(2) Eligibility for recidivism reduction partnership.--A 
     faith-based or community-based nonprofit organization that 
     provides mentoring or other programs that have been 
     demonstrated to reduce recidivism is eligible to enter into a 
     recidivism reduction partnership with a prison or community-
     based facility operated by the Bureau of Prisons.
       ``(3) Recidivism reduction partnerships.--The Director of 
     the Bureau of Prisons shall develop policies to require 
     wardens of prisons and community-based facilities to enter 
     into recidivism reduction partnerships with faith-based and 
     community-based nonprofit organizations that are willing to 
     provide, on a volunteer basis, programs described in 
     paragraph (2).
       ``(4) Reporting requirement.--The Director of the Bureau of 
     Prisons shall submit to Congress an annual report on the last 
     day of each fiscal year that--
       ``(A) details, for each prison and community-based facility 
     for the fiscal year just ended--
       ``(i) the number of recidivism reduction partnerships under 
     this section that were in effect;
       ``(ii) the number of volunteers that provided recidivism 
     reduction programming; and
       ``(iii) the number of recidivism reduction programming 
     hours provided; and
       ``(B) explains any disparities between facilities in the 
     numbers reported under subparagraph (A).''.
       (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1) 
     shall take effect 180 days after the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
       (g) Repeals.--
       (1) Section 2978 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control 
     and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797w-2) is repealed.
       (2) Part CC of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
     Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797q et seq.) is 
     repealed.

     SEC. 5. TASK FORCE ON FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES 
                   RELATING TO REENTRY OF OFFENDERS.

       (a) Task Force Required.--The Attorney General, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
     Development, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of 
     Education, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Agriculture, 
     and the heads of such other agencies of the Federal 
     Government as the Attorney General considers appropriate, and 
     in collaboration with interested persons, service providers, 
     nonprofit organizations, States, tribal, and local 
     governments, shall establish an interagency task force on 
     Federal programs and activities relating to the reentry of 
     offenders into the community (referred to in this section as 
     the ``Task Force'').
       (b) Duties.--The Task Force shall--
       (1) identify such programs and activities that may be 
     resulting in overlap or duplication of services, the scope of 
     such overlap or duplication, and the relationship of such 
     overlap and duplication to public safety, public health, and 
     effectiveness and efficiency;
       (2) identify methods to improve collaboration and 
     coordination of such programs and activities;
       (3) identify areas of responsibility in which improved 
     collaboration and coordination of such programs and 
     activities would result in increased effectiveness or 
     efficiency;
       (4) develop innovative interagency or intergovernmental 
     programs, activities, or procedures that would improve 
     outcomes of reentering offenders and children of offenders;
       (5) develop methods for increasing regular communication 
     among agencies that would increase interagency program 
     effectiveness;
       (6) identify areas of research that can be coordinated 
     across agencies with an emphasis on applying evidence-based 
     practices to support, treatment, and intervention programs 
     for reentering offenders;
       (7) identify funding areas that should be coordinated 
     across agencies and any gaps in funding; and
       (8) in collaboration with the National Adult and Juvenile 
     Offender Reentry Resources Center, identify successful 
     programs currently operating and collect best practices in 
     offender reentry from demonstration grantees and other 
     agencies and organizations, determine the extent to which 
     such programs and practices can be replicated, and make 
     information on such programs and practices available to 
     States, localities, nonprofit organizations, and others.
       (c) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall submit a 
     report, including recommendations, to Congress on barriers to 
     reentry.
       (2) Contents.--The report required under paragraph (1) 
     shall identify Federal and other barriers to successful 
     reentry of offenders into the community and analyze the 
     effects of such barriers on offenders and on children and 
     other family members of offenders, including--
       (A) admissions and evictions from Federal housing programs;
       (B) child support obligations and procedures;
       (C) Social Security benefits, veterans benefits, food 
     stamps, and other forms of Federal public assistance;
       (D) Medicaid Program and Medicare Program procedures, 
     requirements, regulations, and guidelines;
       (E) education programs, financial assistance, and full 
     civic participation;
       (F) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program funding 
     criteria and other welfare benefits;
       (G) employment and training;
       (H) reentry procedures, case planning, and transitions of 
     persons from the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons to 
     a Federal parole or probation program or community 
     corrections;
       (I) laws, regulations, rules, and practices that may 
     require a parolee to return to the same county that they were 
     living in before their arrest and therefore prevent offenders 
     from changing their setting upon release; and
       (J) trying to establish pre-release planning procedures for 
     prisoners to ensure that a prisoner's eligibility for Federal 
     or State benefits (including Medicaid, Medicare, Social 
     Security and veterans benefits) upon release is established 
     prior to release, subject

[[Page S8006]]

     to any limitations in law, and to ensure that prisoners are 
     provided with referrals to appropriate social and health 
     services or are referred to appropriate nonprofit 
     organizations.
       (d) Updated Reports.--On an annual basis, the Task Force 
     shall submit to Congress an updated report on the activities 
     of the Task Force, including specific recommendations on 
     issues described in subsections (b) and (c).
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. HARKIN (for himself and Mr. Heller):
  S. 1694. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a 
credit against income tax for the purchase of hearing aids; to the 
Committee on Finance.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1694

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Hearing Aid Assistance Tax 
     Credit Act''.

     SEC. 2. CREDIT FOR HEARING AIDS.

       (a) In General.--Subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of 
     chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to 
     nonrefundable personal credits) is amended by inserting after 
     section 25D the following new section:

     ``SEC. 25E. CREDIT FOR HEARING AIDS.

       ``(a) Allowance of Credit.--In the case of an individual, 
     there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by 
     this chapter an amount equal to the amount paid during the 
     taxable year, not compensated by insurance or otherwise, by 
     the taxpayer for the purchase of any qualified hearing aid.
       ``(b) Maximum Amount.--The amount allowed as a credit under 
     subsection (a) shall not exceed $500 per qualified hearing 
     aid.
       ``(c) Qualified Hearing Aid.--For purposes of this section, 
     the term `qualified hearing aid' means a hearing aid--
       ``(1) which is described in sections 874.3300 and 874.3305 
     of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, and is authorized 
     under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for commercial 
     distribution, and
       ``(2) which is intended for use--
       ``(A) by the taxpayer, or
       ``(B) by an individual with respect to whom the taxpayer, 
     for the taxable year, is allowed a deduction under section 
     151(c) (relating to deduction for personal exemptions for 
     dependents).
       ``(d) Election Once Every 5 Years.--This section shall 
     apply with respect to any individual for any taxable year 
     only if there is an election in effect with respect to such 
     individual (at such time and in such manner as the Secretary 
     may by regulations prescribe) to have this section apply for 
     such taxable year. An election to have this section apply 
     with respect to any individual may not be made for any 
     taxable year if such an election is in effect with respect to 
     such individual for any of the 4 taxable years preceding such 
     taxable year.
       ``(e) Denial of Double Benefit.--No credit shall be allowed 
     under subsection (a) for any expense for which a deduction or 
     credit is allowed under any other provision of this 
     chapter.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart 
     A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after the item 
     relating to section 25D the following new item:

``Sec. 25E. Credit for hearing aids.''.

       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2013.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. MARKEY:
  S. 1698. A bill to provide for the establishment of clean technology 
consortia to enhance the economic, environmental, and energy security 
of the United States by promoting domestic development, manufacture, 
and deployment of clean technologies; to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources.
  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Consortia-Led 
Energy and Advanced Manufacturing Networks Act.
  For more than a century, America's innovation community has been the 
foundation of our high-tech economy and generated broad-based growth to 
support a strong middle class. While our innovators remain the best in 
the world, we have seen a disturbing trend in recent years. When it 
comes to moving innovations out of the lab and into the factory, we are 
getting beat. Breakthroughs achieved in U.S. research universities and 
laboratories are all too often being commercialized and manufactured 
overseas. As recent research by the Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology and others has demonstrated, innovation and production are 
closely related. When manufacturing facilities move overseas, we lose 
more than just those manufacturing jobs. We can lose our ability to 
continue to innovate in that industry and lose our hold on those jobs 
forever.
  At the same time, we have some industries in the United States 
dominated by deeply entrenched companies that are resistant to 
innovation or adaptation of century-old business models. In those 
sectors, we need to look at ways of partnering with our innovators on 
proof-of-concept and demonstration projects so that more breakthroughs 
can bridge the so-called ``Valley of Death'' between the lab bench and 
commercialization of a new technology. That will ensure that innovative 
and potentially disruptive technologies can actually reach the market, 
and provide badly needed competition in industries where incumbents may 
be failing to innovate. This is what my legislation is intended to 
address.
  In order to reach their full market potential, scientific 
breakthroughs must be translated into commercial applications, 
demonstrated, connected to appropriate markets, and scaled up. The bill 
I am introducing today would fertilize America's innovation ecosystems 
by making available $100 million to 6 or more consortia to support 
these types of activities and help shepherd innovations through the 
commercialization process. Consortia could include a mix of research 
universities, large and small companies, national laboratories, venture 
capital, and state and nonprofit entities with expertise in technology 
commercialization. The bill includes rigorous cost-share requirements 
to ensure that taxpayers are only partnering on the best ideas in which 
the private sector also has significant capital committed.
  We have seen the benefits of regional innovation ecosystems in places 
like Silicon Valley; Boston, Cambridge and the Route 128 Corridor; the 
Research Triangle in North Carolina; Austin, TX; and elsewhere. The 
geographic proximity of institutions in these areas improves the flow 
of information between scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs, and it 
facilitates the sharing of skilled human resources and facilities. Most 
critically when it comes to commercializing innovations, these regions 
have demonstrated a unique ability to pull investor capital off the 
sidelines and channel it into new production. We need to bolster these 
existing ecosystems and help nurture new ones.
  America's universities and research institutions are truly national 
treasures. Our venture capitalists and entrepreneurs are the sharpest 
in the world. When we sprinkle the right mix of scientific brain power 
and capitalist drive, we get something uniquely American and extremely 
potent.
  This legislation will help link inventors with investors, professors 
with producers, and get technologies out of laboratories and into 
factories. It provides the type of responsible and forward-looking 
partnership that we need with the private sector right now. This 
legislation builds on provisions I included in both the Waxman-Markey 
bill and the America COMPETES reauthorization, bills that passed the 
U.S. House of Representatives in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

                          ____________________