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 many individuals returning from Federal and State prisons have paid their debt for committing crimes but still 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 employment is one of the most significant predictors of successful reentry and has been shown to reduce future criminal activity; Whereas many individuals who have been incarcerated struggle to find employment and access capital to start a small business because of collateral consequences, which are often not directly related to the offenses 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 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 population and has significant difficulty acquiring admission to, and funding for, educational programs