Press Releases

Announcement follows push from Scanlon, Pressley, Clyburn urging Biden to use his clemency power

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today released the statement below following the announcement that President Biden is pardoning 39 individuals, and granting clemency to nearly 1,500 Americans who have demonstrated successful rehabilitation as well as a strong commitment to making their communities better. These actions represent the largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history.

Last month, Scanlon led 64 of her colleagues, alongside Reps. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and James E. Clyburn (SC-06), on a letter to President Biden urging him to use his executive clemency power in the final months of his presidency to reunite families, address longstanding injustices in our legal system, and set our nation on the path toward ending mass incarceration. As multiple studies have shown, mass incarceration has disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable Americans, destabilizing families and communities and inflicting intergenerational trauma.

“As the President has said, America was founded on the promise of second chances. But for far too long, our criminal justice system has closed doors of opportunity and redemption for too many people who should have the chance to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities. And many communities in my district have felt the disproportionate impact of mass incarceration. This historic grant of pardons and commutations, and the corresponding restoration of rights, sends a powerful message in support of fundamental fairness and furthering meaningful criminal justice reform. President Biden’s action has the support of millions of people across the country who have felt the harm of mass incarceration: young children longing to hug parents and grandparents, people who have taken responsibility for their mistakes, and those who simply were never given a fair chance.”

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