Date:
3/28/2007 3:09:49 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
From:
gguerrero@osi-dc.org
The House Judiciary Committee passed out the Second Chance Act today after a 5 hour markup dealing with a lengthy series of proposed amendments by Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-TX) designed to gut the bill. In addition to the efforts to bar discrimination against religious groups and add faith-based language (both of which would have jeopardized bipartisan support for the bill, he wanted to strip out reentry courts, eliminate family based programs, limit reentry services to no more than six months, and several others. With one exception the votes against his amendments were along party lines. Representatives Cannon and Coble voted against his amendment to strip out family based programs. Rep. Cabot also proposed a controversial mandatory restitution amendment that apparently could keep some reentering persons under criminal justice supervision indefinitely if they were unable to satisfy a restitution obligation. That amendment, which was identical to H.R. 845 introduced by Chabot, was also defeated.
There is a possibility that the Senate version of the Second Chance Act will be introduced tomorrow. As you know we need to do all we can to get cosponsors in both the House and Senate. I will be out of town the rest of this week and next week. The next reentry working group meeting is on Thursday, April 12.
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The next meeting of the reentry working group will be on Thursday, April 12th at noon at Open Society, 1120 19th St, NW, Washington. Sandwiches will be available so please rsvp if you can attend.
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The markup in the House Judiciary Committee’s crime subcommittee is on for tomorrow, Tuesday, March 27, following a 1:00 pm hearing on mental health issues in the criminal justice system. The hearing and the markup will be in 2141 Rayburn. Come if you can. Please do whatever you can to urge Representatives to promptly cosponsor the Second Chance Act, H.R. 1593. The full Judiciary Committee may act on the Second Chance Act on Wednesday. Please urge all Judiciary Committee supporters of the Second Chance Act to attend the markups. Republican Louie Gohmert (R-TX) is expected to again offer amendments designed to stop the bill. A list of Judiciary Committee members is below.
Jeremy reports that Senate staffers hope to introduce the Senate version of the bill this week. That is a bit up in the air because one key staffer is dealing with a family emergency. But they hope to move the bill quickly through the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The reentry working group met this morning, 3/26, to review needed action. Congressman Davis’s key staffers attended and announced that they are sending out a dear colleague letter urging cosponsorship. Congressman Cannon’s staffer also attended. They plan a joint Davis/Cannon op-ed urging prompt enactment of the Second Chance Act. There was discussion of asking the editorial board of the Post for a meeting. Gene, Jessica and Kara will explore that possibility. Charles Brown with Rep Davis suggested focusing on the recent PEW report on projected increases in prison populations in media outreach. It was suggested that Clarence Page be approached. The Wash Times carries his column.
Jessica will ask key Senate staffers about preparation of a letter from Judiciary members to Senator Leahy urging prompt action on the Second Chance Act. There was discussion of the need to quickly reach out to Senate offices to get them to cosponsor. Jessica will reach out to Kyl, Sanders; Jan will reach out to Pryor, Cochran; Jeremy will reach out to Feinstein, Salazar, Collins, Tester, Menendez, and Murray; Greg will reach out to Boxer, Akaka, Hagel, Schumer, Bennett, Hatch, McCain, Graham, and Corker; Steve will reach out to Dodd, Lieberman, Harkin, Reed; Barbara Durkin will reach out to Obama, Kerry; Gene will reach out to Mikulski, Lautenberg, Bingaman, Clinton, Dole; Abeo will reach out to Cardin and Brown; Miriam will reach out to Klobuchar and Casey; Kara will reach out to McCaskill and Webb; Sara will reach out to Whitehouse; Malika will reach out to Cantwell.
The reentry working group presented framed copies of the cover page of last year’s Second Chance Act with notes of appreciation from working group members to Second Chance staffers Caleb Gilchrist, Dave Turk, and Jorge Castro who have moved on to other Hill positions. Jessica Nickel with the CSG prepared the awards and presented them to the staffers on behalf of the working group.
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House Judiciary Committee Members
3/28/2007 3:09:49 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
From:
gguerrero@osi-dc.org
The House Judiciary Committee passed out the Second Chance Act today after a 5 hour markup dealing with a lengthy series of proposed amendments by Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-TX) designed to gut the bill. In addition to the efforts to bar discrimination against religious groups and add faith-based language (both of which would have jeopardized bipartisan support for the bill, he wanted to strip out reentry courts, eliminate family based programs, limit reentry services to no more than six months, and several others. With one exception the votes against his amendments were along party lines. Representatives Cannon and Coble voted against his amendment to strip out family based programs. Rep. Cabot also proposed a controversial mandatory restitution amendment that apparently could keep some reentering persons under criminal justice supervision indefinitely if they were unable to satisfy a restitution obligation. That amendment, which was identical to H.R. 845 introduced by Chabot, was also defeated.
There is a possibility that the Senate version of the Second Chance Act will be introduced tomorrow. As you know we need to do all we can to get cosponsors in both the House and Senate. I will be out of town the rest of this week and next week. The next reentry working group meeting is on Thursday, April 12.
-----------------
The next meeting of the reentry working group will be on Thursday, April 12th at noon at Open Society, 1120 19th St, NW, Washington. Sandwiches will be available so please rsvp if you can attend.
---------
The markup in the House Judiciary Committee’s crime subcommittee is on for tomorrow, Tuesday, March 27, following a 1:00 pm hearing on mental health issues in the criminal justice system. The hearing and the markup will be in 2141 Rayburn. Come if you can. Please do whatever you can to urge Representatives to promptly cosponsor the Second Chance Act, H.R. 1593. The full Judiciary Committee may act on the Second Chance Act on Wednesday. Please urge all Judiciary Committee supporters of the Second Chance Act to attend the markups. Republican Louie Gohmert (R-TX) is expected to again offer amendments designed to stop the bill. A list of Judiciary Committee members is below.
Jeremy reports that Senate staffers hope to introduce the Senate version of the bill this week. That is a bit up in the air because one key staffer is dealing with a family emergency. But they hope to move the bill quickly through the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The reentry working group met this morning, 3/26, to review needed action. Congressman Davis’s key staffers attended and announced that they are sending out a dear colleague letter urging cosponsorship. Congressman Cannon’s staffer also attended. They plan a joint Davis/Cannon op-ed urging prompt enactment of the Second Chance Act. There was discussion of asking the editorial board of the Post for a meeting. Gene, Jessica and Kara will explore that possibility. Charles Brown with Rep Davis suggested focusing on the recent PEW report on projected increases in prison populations in media outreach. It was suggested that Clarence Page be approached. The Wash Times carries his column.
Jessica will ask key Senate staffers about preparation of a letter from Judiciary members to Senator Leahy urging prompt action on the Second Chance Act. There was discussion of the need to quickly reach out to Senate offices to get them to cosponsor. Jessica will reach out to Kyl, Sanders; Jan will reach out to Pryor, Cochran; Jeremy will reach out to Feinstein, Salazar, Collins, Tester, Menendez, and Murray; Greg will reach out to Boxer, Akaka, Hagel, Schumer, Bennett, Hatch, McCain, Graham, and Corker; Steve will reach out to Dodd, Lieberman, Harkin, Reed; Barbara Durkin will reach out to Obama, Kerry; Gene will reach out to Mikulski, Lautenberg, Bingaman, Clinton, Dole; Abeo will reach out to Cardin and Brown; Miriam will reach out to Klobuchar and Casey; Kara will reach out to McCaskill and Webb; Sara will reach out to Whitehouse; Malika will reach out to Cantwell.
The reentry working group presented framed copies of the cover page of last year’s Second Chance Act with notes of appreciation from working group members to Second Chance staffers Caleb Gilchrist, Dave Turk, and Jorge Castro who have moved on to other Hill positions. Jessica Nickel with the CSG prepared the awards and presented them to the staffers on behalf of the working group.
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House Judiciary Committee Members
Democrats
Conyers, John (MI), Chair Berman, Howard L. (CA) Boucher, Rick (VA) Nadler, Jerrold (NY) Scott, Bobby (VA) Watt, Melvin (NC) Lofgren, Zoe (CA) Jackson Lee, Sheila (TX) Waters, Maxine (FL) Meehan, Marty (MA) Delahunt, William (MA) Wexler, Robert (FL) Sanchez, Linda (CA) Weiner, Anthony (NY) Schiff, Adam (CA) Cohen, Steven (TN)
Gutierrez, Luis(IL) Sherman, Brad (CA) Davis, Artur (AL) Ellison, Keith (MN)
Republicans
Smith, Lamar (TX), Ranking Member Sensenbrenner, James (WI) Coble, Howard (NC) Gallegly, Elton (CA) Goodlatte, Bob (VA) Chabot, Steve (OH) Lungren, Dan (CA) Cannon, Chris (UT) Keller, Ric (FL) Issa, Darrell (CA) Pence, Mike (IN) Forbes, Randy (VA) King, Steve (IA) Feeney, Tom (FL) Franks, Trent (AZ) Gohmert, Louie (TX) Jordan, Jim (OH)
Gene Guerrero
Open Society Institute/Open Society Policy Center
1120 19th Street, NW, 8th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: 202-721-5607
Fax: 202-530-0128
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