WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US Congress should pass a nationwide standard restoring voting rights for US citizens released from prison, US Senator Ben Cardin said on Wednesday upon introducing the Democracy Restoration Act.
"Congress has a responsibility to <…> enact a nationwide standard for the restoration of voting rights," Cardin said in a press release.
Cardin noted that current laws deny former inmates participation in the US democracy based solely on where they live. While 15 US states and the District of Columbia restore voting rights upon release from prison, 35 states continue to restrict them.
In addition to restoring voting rights, the bill will reduce recidivism, as studies have indicated that former prisoners with voting rights are less likely to repeat offenses, the press release said.
"This legislation is about simple fairness for those who have paid their debt to society," Reid said. "It goes against the core of who we are as a nation to continuously punish those who have served their time and are working to reintegrate into our society."
In the United States, about 5.85 million Americans are disenfranchised as a result of a criminal conviction, according to the press release.
