Sec. 2. Findings
232 words·~1 min read·
/bill/118/hr/10248/ih/section-2·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress finds as follows: Weldon Angelos was sentenced to 55 years in Federal prison for nonviolent marijuana offenses, including possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, at the age of 24, despite having no prior criminal record, and the sentence was widely criticized as excessive. Mr. Angelos was granted clemency by President Barack Obama after serving 13 years in prison, and fully pardoned subsequently by President Donald Trump, but he continues to face the lasting consequences of his conviction in the form of employment opportunities due to his criminal record.
Many individuals who have been fully pardoned face similar barriers to reentry into society, hindering their ability to fully participate in their communities and lead productive lives. The expungement of criminal records can help pardoned individuals who have paid their debt to society and received a full pardon for their offenses move forward and contribute to society in meaningful ways, as well as reduce the negative impact of a criminal record on their families and communities.
Federal legislation granting pardoned criminal offenders the right to have their records expunged would provide a second chance for individuals like Mr. Angelos and help to address the inequities and injustices within the criminal justice system. This legislation would promote rehabilitation, reduce recidivism, and benefit society as a whole by removing unnecessary barriers to reentry and enabling individuals to fully reintegrate into their communities.