[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9653]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          INTRODUCTION OF THE ENSURING SUCCESSFUL REENTRY ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 21, 2017

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Ensuring Successful 
Reentry Act, a bill to eliminate so-called ``subsistence fees.'' 
Federal law currently requires the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to 
impose a subsistence fee on the income of returning citizens living in 
residential reentry centers (RRCs), supposedly to promote financial 
responsibility by requiring RRC residents to pay a portion of their 
housing costs. The fee is currently 25 percent. However, many returning 
citizens living in these centers often work minimum wage jobs, so the 
loss of 25 percent of their paychecks is a significant hurdle to 
successful reentry, and it makes it extremely difficult for them to 
save money for rent, pay child support, or fines and fees associated 
with their conviction (such as restitution). Only last year, BOP 
eliminated the subsistence fee for returning citizens on home 
confinement, who cost BOP nothing for maintenance. Far from promoting 
financial responsibility, subsistence fees actually prevent returning 
citizens from meeting their financial obligations.
  The Department of Justice (DOJ) has already recognized how 
``counterproductive'' subsistence fees are, both for returning citizens 
and BOP. In a November 2016 memo, then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. 
Yates noted that BOP's ``process for collecting these subsistence fees 
is costly and administratively burdensome for both RRC's and [BOP],'' 
and called for DOJ to ``develop a plan to limit the use of 
counterproductive `subsistence' fees imposed on indigent residents.'' 
BOP can already waive subsistence fees in certain situations for 
residents of RRCs, but only a change in federal law can remove this 
unnecessary barrier to reentry.
  We should not be imposing additional burdens on returning citizens, 
setting them up to fail, especially those who are employed and working 
toward independence from the criminal justice system. Jobs and 
affordable housing are crucial components in ensuring successful 
reentry--charging subsistence fees is antithetical to this goal. I urge 
my colleagues to support this bill.

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