A resolution recognizing the nationwide impact of Prison Fellowship on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 915 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 915

Recognizing the nationwide impact of Prison Fellowship on the occasion 
                        of its 50th anniversary.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 28, 2026

   Mr. Lankford (for himself and Mr. Coons) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Recognizing the nationwide impact of Prison Fellowship on the occasion 
                        of its 50th anniversary.

Whereas Prison Fellowship was founded in 1976 by the late Charles Colson, after 
        his conversion to Christianity and the strengthening of his faith during 
        incarceration;
Whereas, in 2026, Prison Fellowship celebrates its 50th anniversary as the 
        largest Christian nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and 
        their families in the United States, continuing its mission to encounter 
        Jesus with those impacted by incarceration and annually reaching more 
        than 600,000 individuals with the support of more than 200,000 
        volunteers nationwide;
Whereas Prison Fellowship envisions a revival of the church both inside and 
        outside prison that brings justice, mercy, and hope to communities in 
        the United States, and through the efforts of its staff and volunteers, 
        shares the Gospel in hundreds of correctional facilities each year;
Whereas the Prison Fellowship Academy is a yearlong, intensive program that 
        invites incarcerated individuals to engage in personal transformation, 
        character development, and spiritual growth;
Whereas more than 16,000 individuals have participated in the Prison Fellowship 
        Academy, with approximately 6,000 graduates;
Whereas evaluations, conducted by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and 
        the Minnesota Department of Corrections, have demonstrated significant 
        reductions in recidivism among participants of the Prison Fellowship 
        Academy;
Whereas Prison Fellowship Grow fosters faith formation, mentorship, and 
        community engagement for individuals exploring life through the Gospel;
Whereas more than 350,000 individuals have participated in a Prison Fellowship 
        Grow Bible study or related course;
Whereas the Prison Fellowship Academy has been approved by the Federal Bureau of 
        Prisons as an evidence-based recidivism reduction program under the 
        First Step Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-391; 132 Stat. 5194), making 
        Prison Fellowship the first nonprofit organization to have a program 
        receive this designation, and Prison Fellowship Grow has likewise been 
        approved by the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a productive activity under 
        the First Step Act of 2018;
Whereas, to strengthen relationships between incarcerated parents and their 
        children, the Prison Fellowship Angel Tree equips local churches with 
        Christmas gifts, summer camps, and year-round family support;
Whereas more than 13,000,000 children have been served through Angel Tree 
        Christmas and more than 120,000 children have attended an Angel Tree 
        camp;
Whereas, using education, reflection, planning, and implementation, Warden 
        Exchange equips correctional leaders with the tools needed to create 
        safer, more restorative prison environments for incarcerated individuals 
        and correctional staff;
Whereas, since 2014, Warden Exchange has equipped more than 820 State 
        correctional leaders nationwide to reimagine prisons, and in 2026, the 
        program admitted its first Federal warden; and
Whereas, since launching Second Chance Month in 2017, Prison Fellowship has 
        raised national awareness of barriers facing people with criminal 
        records and expanded opportunities for brighter futures, with more than 
        1,000 partners and recognition from the White House, the United States 
        Senate, and more than 40 jurisdictions: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) honors Prison Fellowship on the occasion of the 50th 
        anniversary of its founding by Charles Colson, which was 
        inspired by his personal transformation and a vision of 
        redemption, justice, and hope;
            (2) commends Prison Fellowship's decades of service in 
        advancing restoration, rehabilitation, and second chances 
        through faith-based programs that strengthen individuals, 
        families, and communities; and
            (3) recognizes the lasting contributions of the staff, 
        volunteers, church partners, correctional leaders, and program 
        participants of Prison Fellowship, whose efforts have 
        transformed millions of lives and fostered hope across the 
        United States over the past 5 decades.
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