[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 187 (Monday, October 25, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H5856]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    EVERYONE DESERVES A FRESH START

  (Ms. SCANLON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, for millions of Americans, a minor or 
decades-old criminal record can pose an insurmountable barrier to full 
employment, housing, and education. All too often, individuals in this 
situation are unable to get a fresh start because having eligible 
records sealed or expunged is so burdensome or expensive.
  Bureaucratic delays and high legal fees perpetuate the cycle of 
poverty and make it more difficult for people to transition back into 
society successfully after being incarcerated.
  That is why I was proud to join Representative   David Trone and a 
bipartisan group of our colleagues from the House and the Senate to 
introduce legislation last week to help these Americans get the second 
chances they deserve.
  The Fresh Start Act of 2021 provides Federal grants for States with 
record sealing or expungement procedures to help improve their 
automated record infrastructure.
  As we rebound from a once-in-a-century pandemic and in the name of 
fairness and equity, we need to eliminate barriers to employment and 
champion opportunities for our communities to recover and thrive.

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