IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1066 
Expressing support for the designation of April 2022 as ‘‘Second Chance 
Month’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 27, 2022 
Mr. CA´RDENAS (for himself, Mr. TRONE, Mr. WESTERMAN, and Mr. BACON) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the designation of April 2022 as 
‘‘Second Chance Month’’. 
Whereas every individual is endowed with human dignity and 
value; 
Whereas redemption and second chances are values of the 
United States; 
Whereas millions of citizens of the United States have a 
criminal record; 
Whereas hundreds of thousands of individuals return to their 
communities from Federal and State prisons every year; 
Whereas individuals returning from Federal and State pris-
ons have paid their debt for committing crimes but still 
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•HRES 1066 IH 
face significant legal and societal barriers (referred to in 
this preamble as ‘‘collateral consequences’’); 
Whereas collateral consequences for an individual returning 
from a Federal or State prison are often mandatory and 
take effect automatically, regardless of— 
(1) whether there is a nexus between the crime and 
public safety; 
(2) the seriousness of the crime; 
(3) the time that has passed since the individual 
committed the crime; or 
(4) the efforts of the individual to make amends or 
earn back the trust of the public; 
Whereas, for individuals returning to their communities from 
Federal and State prisons, gaining meaningful employ-
ment is one of the most significant predictors of success-
ful reentry and has been shown to reduce future criminal 
activity; 
Whereas many individuals who have been incarcerated strug-
gle to find employment because of collateral conse-
quences, which are often not directly related to the of-
fenses the individuals committed or any proven public 
safety benefit; 
Whereas many States have laws that prohibit an individual 
with a criminal record from working in certain industries 
or obtaining professional licenses; 
Whereas, in addition to employment, education has also been 
shown to be a significant predictor of successful reentry 
for individuals returning from Federal and State prisons; 
Whereas an individual with a criminal record often has a 
lower level of educational attainment than the general 
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population and has significant difficulty acquiring admis-
sion to, and funding for, educational programs; 
Whereas an individual who has been convicted of certain 
crimes is often barred from receiving the financial aid 
necessary to acquire additional skills and knowledge; 
Whereas an individual with a criminal record— 
(1) faces collateral consequences in securing a place 
to live; and 
(2) is often barred from seeking access to public 
housing; 
Whereas collateral consequences prevent millions of individ-
uals in the United States from contributing fully to their 
families and communities; 
Whereas collateral consequences can contribute to recidivism, 
which increases crime and victimization and decreases 
public safety; 
Whereas collateral consequences have particularly impacted 
underserved communities of color and community rates of 
employment, housing stability, and recidivism; 
Whereas the inability to find gainful employment and other 
collateral consequences of conviction inhibit the economic 
mobility of an individual with a criminal record, which 
can negatively impact the well-being of the children and 
families of the individual for generations; 
Whereas the COVID–19 pandemic and economic and public 
health consequences of the COVD–19 pandemic have 
made the pursuit of gainful employment and access to 
community supports more daunting for individuals with 
a criminal record; 
Whereas the bipartisan First Step Act of 2018 (Public Law 
115–391; 132 Stat. 5194) was signed into law on Decem-
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