WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prison Fellowship, the nation's largest Christian nonprofit serving currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families, and a leading advocate for criminal justice reform, will hold a Day of Action on Capitol Hill on Nov. 10 to urge Congress to advance bipartisan legislation that removes barriers to successful reentry. Prison Fellowship staff, justice ambassadors and faith leaders will meet with congressional offices to advocate for the Fair Future Act in both the House and Senate and the Transportation Worker Identification Credential Efficiency Act (TWICE Act) in the Senate, where the legislation awaits further action.
Prison Fellowship will take part in the Day of Action to urge lawmakers to expand access to stable housing and employment for people returning from incarceration and discuss how helping people rebuild their lives leads to safer communities.
“Every person has God-given dignity and the potential for transformation, and our laws should reflect that truth,” said Heather Rice-Minus, Prison Fellowship president and CEO. “When people have a fair opportunity to secure a home, find work and support their families, they are better positioned to build stable lives and contribute to their communities. On Nov. 10, we will call on Congress to advance policies that promote accountability, strengthen public safety and make second chances possible.”
One priority of the Day of Action will be advocating for the support of the Fair Future Act (H.R. 7765), which would repeal the Thurmond Amendment to the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988. The amendment can prevent people with certain prior drug convictions from accessing federal housing protections. By removing this blanket exclusion, the Fair Future Act would allow housing decisions to account for individual circumstances and help people who have served their sentences pursue stable housing as they return to their communities.
Advocates will also call on senators to advance the TWICE Act (S.5487), which was passed by the House on Sept. 16, 2026, and would direct the Transportation Security Administration to develop guidelines to improve access to Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) cards for individuals returning from incarceration. The legislation would help individuals prepare or begin applications before release and better navigate appeal or waiver processes if they are found ineligible.
“Finding a job is one of the most significant challenges facing people returning home from prison,” said Scott Peyton, senior director of advocacy at Prison Fellowship. “The TWICE Act would help remove unnecessary barriers to jobs. Alongside the Fair Future Act, it offers a practical way for Congress to support successful reentry, strengthen the workforce and promote safer communities.”
Prison Fellowship Advocacy for Prison Reform
Since its founding, Prison Fellowship has played a prominent role in our nation’s capital, helping to pass groundbreaking federal legislation and launch initiatives that make the criminal justice system more restorative, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (1993), the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (2000), the Prison Rape Elimination Act (2003), the Second Chance Act (2008), the Fair Sentencing Act (2010), the establishment of the Charles Colson Task Force on Federal Corrections (2014), the Second Chance Month Senate resolution (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026) and presidential proclamation and message (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026), the FIRST STEP Act (2018), the Fair Chance Act (2019), Pell Restoration (2020), the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act (2022) and the Federal Prison Oversight Act (2024), among others.
Prison Fellowship
Celebrating 50 years of prison ministry, Prison Fellowship is the nation's largest Christian nonprofit equipping the Church to serve currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families, and to advocate for justice and human dignity. Prison Fellowship and its church partners encounter Jesus with those behind bars, breaking cycles of crime and prayerfully anticipating a revival of justice, mercy and hope in our culture.
Susan Merriman Prison Fellowship 703-554-8698 Susan_merriman@pfm.org
