Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA), both members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, along with U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), introduced the bicameral Re-Entry Support Through Opportunities for Resources and Essentials (RESTORE) Act, legislation that would repeal the lifetime ban on individuals convicted of drug felonies from accessing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.
The federal SNAP ban, enacted in 1996 by Congress and signed by President Clinton, increased barriers to reentry for people who had already served their prison time.
Booker pointed out that hunger and poverty are significant challenges for the formerly incarcerated and often increase recidivism.
“Restoring SNAP eligibility will reduce recidivism by ensuring that individuals who have already repaid their debt to society do not face food insecurity as an …