H.R.5492 the "Fresh Start Act of 2010"

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H.R. 2249 is the new number for 2011. Maybe this year....
its been 16 years and I met a man I wanted relationship with and cant due to the fact ,I have Federal Felony,which violates his job security associating with me. Im so heart broken, and the only way i will ever see him is when he retires. why cant I have a chance to have a normal life? Why cant he as well.I would really like a chance for us.
its been 16 years and I met a man I wanted relationship with and cant due to the fact ,I have Federal Felony,which violates his job security associating with me. Im so heart broken, and the only way i will ever see him is when he retires. why cant I have a chance to have a normal life? Why cant he as well.I would really like a chance for us.
its been 16 years and I met a man I wanted relationship with and cant due to the fact ,I have Federal Felony,which violates his job security associating with me. Im so heart broken, and the only way i will ever see him is when he retires. why cant I have a chance to have a normal life? Why cant he as well.I would really like a chance for us.
its been 16 years and I met a man I wanted relationship with and cant due to the fact ,I have Federal Felony,which violates his job security associating with me. Im so heart broken, and the only way i will ever see him is when he retires. why cant I have a chance to have a normal life? Why cant he as well.I would really like a chance for us.
its been 16 years and I met a man I wanted relationship with and cant due to the fact ,I have Federal Felony,which violates his job security associating with me. Im so heart broken, and the only way i will ever see him is when he retires. why cant I have a chance to have a normal life? Why cant he as well.I would really like a chance for us.
its been 16 years and I met a man I wanted relationship with and cant due to the fact ,I have Federal Felony,which violates his job security associating with me. Im so heart broken, and the only way i will ever see him is when he retires. why cant I have a chance to have a normal life? Why cant he as well.I would really like a chance for us.
its been 16 years and I met a man I wanted relationship with and cant due to the fact ,I have Federal Felony,which violates his job security associating with me. Im so heart broken, and the only way i will ever see him is when he retires. why cant I have a chance to have a normal life? Why cant he as well.I would really like a chance for us.
its been 16 years and I met a man I wanted relationship with and cant due to the fact ,I have Federal Felony,which violates his job security associating with me. Im so heart broken, and the only way i will ever see him is when he retires. why cant I have a chance to have a normal life? Why cant he as well.I would really like a chance for us.
its been 16 years and I met a man I wanted relationship with and cant due to the fact ,I have Federal Felony,which violates his job security associating with me. Im so heart broken, and the only way i will ever see him is when he retires. why cant I have a chance to have a normal life? Why cant he as well.I would really like a chance for us.
its been 16 years and I met a man I wanted relationship with and cant due to the fact ,I have Federal Felony,which violates his job security associating with me. Im so heart broken, and the only way i will ever see him is when he retires. why cant I have a chance to have a normal life? Why cant he as well.I would really like a chance for us.
America the Great has become America the unmerciful. Embarassed to be a citizen. I love my country. I just dont think our leaders do.
Do the right thing! Everyone needs a fresh start to continue on raising a family, maintaining a job and "living" a full and happy life.
The expected result of jail time is to enable the individual to understand that their action(s) were not acceptable to society. First time non-violant crimes should not follow those individuals on through life. They have repaid society for their mistake and have made amends to those whom they offended. Our law of the land should reflect that payment and allow these individuals a fresh start.
It's absurd that these people can't get jobs or apartments. Fix it!
As a result of my felony convictions, my wife and our soon-expected baby are caught in the middle of the housing discrimination of ex-convicts, who are not covered under the Fair Housing Act. I feel that non-violent crimes, whether a federal felony or otherwise, should not carry into the post-incarceration period of the ex-offenders life.

I also feel that the families of ex-offenders should not be discriminated against due to actions they had no control over, nor responsibility for.
Give those that deserve it a second chance. Lets make this country GREAT AGAIN!
I pled guilty to an E-Felony failure to report a crime in 2007. I took responsibility for this action and have paid my debt to society. I have a degree and had a professional position prior to the conviction for the 2002 offense. I can now not seek employment at Wal Mart or any other national company. I have submitted over 500 resumes and been on 80+ interviews and cannot find a job. I have been hired 8 times, but released upon the backround investigation. This is becoming a cancer on my family. They deserve better than this. 1 count of an e-felony on a crime I didn't commit does not warrant a life stigma and sentence. I sincerely hope this legislation passes.
ACT NOW!!! Please put into action our "fair" and "equitable" system. There are so many deserving people, that have accepted responsibility for their actions that are so "out of character" for them. It is time we extend the love in our heart to our fellow American.
I am the Father of a 1st time non-violent offender, in which a subtle usage of marginally related case law forced him to take a plea. What really should have been a minor misdemeanor, is now a Class D felony. No prior criminal record, He has lost everything, and would just like the opportunity to pick up the pieces and start over. But this will never happen without reform. How many thousands of people are living the same nightmare?
This sounds like a great bill. Some people are forced/extorted into confessing for a crime they didn't commit (for a lighter sentence) out of fear of our legal system.
When a person has been convicted and has paid his debt to society, he deserves a chance to re-enter society and begin anew.

"The mood and temper of the public in regard to the treatment of crime and criminals is one of the most unfailing tests of a civilization. We must have a desire to rehabilitate into the world of industry, all those who have paid their dues in the hard coinage of punishment." - Winston Churchill

It is time to move away from the hysteria and consult the facts.

We must no longer make our society a vigilante group who terrorizes a former offender and stigmatizes anyone who befriends a former offender.

Therapy and treatment do work.
Everyone deserves a second chance. Seven years without a charge after you have completed your sentence surely qualifies you for a second chance. We will all be judged again for our actions. Including lawmakers.
Let me explain why this law should be passed. About 32 years ago I got into some minor trouble in the military. I took some alchohol from the on base club. I also took a car stereo, value less than $100.00. I am not saying what I did was right, it was not it was wrong and I served my time, plead guilty to appease the military. I was assured by my then military attorney that I could follow my dream later on after I served my time. I did not know at the time the only thing he represented was to get the case off the docket as quickly as possible. 10 years ago I applied to be a Texas State Trooper which has been my dream goal. Went through all their testing, passed with flying colors. My application went to the field investigator who only had it for 2 days. Sure enough what I thought was a simple mis-deamor was not. At that time it was 22 years past when I finished my time. By the way of which was only 6 months. Now the State of Texas is again short on people that want to be State Troopers. They sent me an e-mail and asked for me to apply. To let you know a little more on my background I am a very accomplished IT guru. Every field In Information Technology I excel at. I also have my own company. But I have always had a dream to be a Texas State Trooper. Please pass this so I can realize my dream. Everybody makes mistakes and we learn from them. Currently there is a large hole in our society where professionals in this field are needed. I read all the time where people that have committed much more serious crimes than I mention here have them expunged. Please help me realize my dream. I am fully qualified to full fill this position outside of minor federal conviction. Please help
How are individuals expected to live in society after punishment for their crimes and they have no chance to get their life on track again? What if a person dreams their whole life of becoming a cop and have an incident with the law? Their dream is shattered because they don't believe that any Commanding Officer would look at them with the decency and respect them as an individual wanting to serve their broken and misshapen community. Pass this, so people can dream without having to worry about waking up and thinking they will never reach their true potential.
Everyone makes mistakes, you too...some get caught some don't...those that do and have payed there dues ...so be able to put their lives and their family's lives back together...
I support this bill. Please pass this.
Think about our vets coming back with PTSD ending up as defendants. They deserves a second chance as do many other first time offenders. One mistake should not ruin a young person's entire life.
what is the point of "sentencing" when you are truly given a life sentence.
Paid the price!
It is enough that men and women have served the term of imprisonment imposed, that they should not carry upon them the burden of their conviction for the rest of their lives. Let the people enjoy life as free men and women, for this is America.
Steven Long

Below I quote President Thomas Jefferson:

A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.
Thomas Jefferson

A wise and frugal Government, which shall retrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.
Thomas Jefferson
it's time for this change
It's a shame that State offenders can expunge more serious convictions but not the federal offenders. The laws for federal expungement needs serious revisions. Even people who have their federal charges dismissed are not able to expunge their federal arrest records as per the current law and it is very unfair. Please pass this bill
H.R. 5492 will help thousands of PEOPLE to get jobs and off of the street. You want to help people? You make sure this passes. Ex-felons ARE people and they know what they did wrong. But Congress and private employers need to stop looking at ex-felons like they are dogs. Look them in the eye. They are your fellow human being.
I also feel once sentence has been served these men deserve the right to start over...please everyone get on board and lets get this done.
Yes, I have felonies....and I did the time, paid my fines, am extremely sorry for the things I did in my past.
I have a degree, but still can't get a job because of my felony background. None of which are violent! I want my life back, and don't want to stay in this boat that I was in for soooooo long!
Please give us a second chance!
I'm also the facilitator for "Alternatives for a 2nd Chance" workshop for expungement. And a volunteer for the County of Riverside. I'm trying so hard to stay on track and help others do the same.
We don't deserve to be treated like this!
Thanks
Forget the convicted felon - instead think of their families, their spouses and their children. Once released and done serving their entire sentence they become a burden to society because of society. They are unable to get ANY job that performs a background check and they are limited in housing options. Their family must rely on the county to support them all because of a non-violent felony on their record? This is insanity at its finest. Lets charge them, release them, take away any possibililty of work and housing and then wonder why they return? It is better for their families financially for them not to be present. This needs to change.
My husband is a good man that is having trouble providing for our family due to a federal felony conviction of Grand Larceny in 1997. He embezzled 5,000 dollars from a bank he worked at over time in order to pay his bills so that he would not be homeless. He admitted to doing the crime, and even helped the FBI by telling them in detail how he did it, in order to help them prevent it from happening in the same method in the future. He served his five years probation and paid it back in full plus interest with restitution. He has had no other run in with the except for minor traffic violations, and some civil suits for outstanding bills.

He is currently in college obtaining his Bachelors in Science IT Networking Administration in order to obtain a better life for our family. He has been running into the same road block over and over when trying to obtain a job. That road block would be the question of conviction of a felony. He is not violent, he has never been convicted of drugs or alcohol offense. He is a good man that made a big mistake when he was much younger. Should he have to pay for that mistake for the rest of his life?
I was convicted of Federal Grand Larceny in 1997. I have never been convicted of anything other than traffic offenses before or since. I am currently obtaining my Bachelors of Science in IT Network Administration. I have four kids and am having immense trouble finding a job in my chosen career field due to this convictions. I served my five years probation, helped the FBI with determining how I committed the crime, and paid restitution in full. I would like a second chance at life by having the same right the local and state felons have at expunging their record after adhering to the punishment handed down by the courts.
It's a shame that a non violent mistake and crime at a young age can carry with it a life sentence and prevent someone from ever accomplishing their career dreams or reaching their full potential as a citizen. Please pass this.
we deserve a second change,i do my time and went to a boot camp .I learn whit this mistake tahat life can be better but my record dont let it happend.
Mr. President,
I owned a house damaged from Hurricane Katrina; however was not living in my only house when Katrina damaged my home by tidal surge. Come to find out I wasn't eligible for FEMA, OR HUD assistance until after the fact. My only house I owned but didn't live in. Sometimes I feel that this whole idea was a political head hunt to save face for FEMA and its major miss management. I've served my time, paid restitution, community service, and have gone on to achieve post graduate degree, and national certifications. But still can't achieve a business or employment due to my only criminal record, "Federal Felony." I feel as if I'm treated no better than a murder, terrorist, or child a sex offender who is haunted for the rest of their lives. Please Mr. President support this bill for those who really deserve a second chance at life.
I made a mistake 20 years ago, when I was 16 and I am still being punished. I have been a good citizen, since then, and have obtained my bachelors degree. Now having a bachelors degree, potential employers look and see that my cases were dismissed and thrown out, but they also see what the courts tried to charge me with and I still get the boot. Please help.

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