[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 55 (Monday, March 27, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CODE RETURNING CITIZENS 
                            COORDINATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 27, 2023

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the District of 
Columbia Code Returning Citizens Coordination Act, which would require 
the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide information to the 
District of Columbia government on individuals convicted of felonies 
under D.C. law in BOP custody. Currently, BOP provides no information 
to D.C. on these individuals, even immediately before release, which 
inhibits reentry, increases recidivism and harms public safety. Last 
Congress, the Committee on Oversight and Reform passed this bill.
  Federal law requires BOP to incarcerate individuals convicted of 
felonies under D.C. law. There are currently 3,200 such individuals in 
BOP custody, and they are located in prisons throughout the United 
States. This unique custody arrangement creates several obstacles to 
successful reentry, including information sharing among agencies.
  BOP asserts that federal privacy laws prohibit it from providing any 
information to D.C. on these individuals, which prevents D.C. from 
having services ready for them when they return from prison. Yet, 
studies consistently show the importance of health care, housing, 
education, job training and substance use disorder treatment for 
successful reentry.
  This bill would require BOP to provide D.C. 2 types of information on 
each individual convicted of a D.C. Code felony in BOP custody. Every 
90 days, BOP would provide the name, age, Federal Register Number, 
facility where housed and the scheduled release date. Upon D.C.'s 
request, BOP would provide D.C. the same information that BOP provides 
to the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District 
of Columbia (CSOSA) on these individuals, such as their release plan. 
CSOSA is a federal agency that supervises individuals convicted of D.C. 
Code felonies on supervised release and parole.
  D.C. would be allowed to provide the biographical information only to 
counsel for the individuals, and to organizations that provide legal 
representation to individuals in criminal or post-conviction matters, 
or in matters related to reentry. D.C. would not be allowed to provide 
any of the other information, and D.C. law enforcement agencies would 
not have access to any of the information.
  The overwhelming majority of people in prison return home. I hope 
everyone agrees on the importance of successful reentry.
  I ask my colleagues to support this bill.

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