NEWS: Sen. Schiff Introduces Two Bills to Increase Education and Literacy Opportunities for Incarcerated Americans

U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.-5) leads the companion legislation in the House.

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced the Rehabilitation through Reading Act and the Prison Libraries Act, two pieces of legislation to expand library resources and services to support the education and skills training of incarcerated Americans to improve opportunities upon their release.

"Access to books, skills training and educational opportunities improves an individual's chance of successfully reintegrating when returning to the community after a prison sentence," said Senator Schiff. "These bills will help prepare those impacted to re-acclimate to life in the outside world and reduce recidivism. I'm proud to support those efforts."

"Access to wide-ranging and quality books offer incarcerated Americans the opportunity to learn and sharpen valuable skills that will assist in their reintegration into society, helping them turn the page to a new chapter and better life," said Representative Cleaver. "I'm thankful for Senator Schiff's partnership in introducing the Prison Libraries Act and the Rehabilitation through Reading Act as we seek to expand library resources in correctional facilities nationwide, thereby increasing educational opportunities, reducing recidivism, and creating stronger communities for all."

The Rehabilitation through Reading Act enables individuals in custody to challenge book bans and provides greater transparency around BOP book bans by requiring the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to establish an independent commission to review decisions by BOP officials to ban books at facilities and give incarcerated individuals an opportunity to appeal those decisions, and set guidelines for what books can and cannot be banned.

The legislation is endorsed by American Library Association, PEN America, ACLU, and Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Californians for Safety and Justice, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California.

U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II led the House companion of the Rehabilitation through Reading Act. The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai'i), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).

The Prison Libraries Actprovides $10 million annually for six years to improve access to library resources and services in U.S. state and territory correctional facilities through a new program that would fund educational and skills opportunities and advance reintegration efforts within the U.S. prison system.

The legislation is endorsed by American Library Association, the ACLU, PEN America, Books Through Bars, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Californians for Safety and Justice, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants, DC Books to Prisons, Friends & Foundation of the San Francisco Public Library, Missouri Humanities, Missouri Prison Books, Prison Book Program, Prison Library Project at Claremont Forum, Prisoners Literature Project, Vera Institute of Justice, and Books to Prisoners Seattle.

U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II led the House companion of the Prison Libraries Act earlier this year. The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai'i), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).

The full text of the bills is available here and here.

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