H.R. 2879

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2879 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2879

To direct the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to conduct a 
comprehensive review of understaffing across the Bureau, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 10, 2025

Mr. Obernolte (for himself, Ms. Chu, Mr. Carbajal, and Mr. Weber of 
Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to conduct a 
comprehensive review of understaffing across the Bureau, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Prison Staffing Reform Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) The Bureau of Prisons has 121 institutions located 
throughout the United States and employs nearly 35,000 
employees. Understaffing across the agency jeopardizes the 
health, safety, and well-being of staff and inmates alike.
(2) Understaffing at Bureau of Prison institutions poses a 
threat to inmates, who will consequently lack access to 
lifesaving medical care, efficient review of their casework, 
sanitary living conditions, access to vital recidivism 
reduction programming, and protections against abuse or sexual 
misconduct.
(3) Understaffing at Bureau of Prison institutions will 
also result in reduced staff safety, escalated workplace abuse, 
stressful work conditions, enhanced mental and physical health 
concerns, and unacceptably long work shifts for employees.
(4) Mandated overtime, misuse of augmentation or 
reassignment, and overworked employees will reduce prison 
security and threaten public safety.

SEC. 3. COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF UNDERSTAFFING ACROSS BUREAU OF PRISONS.

(a) Review.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall--
(1) complete a thorough external review, in accordance with 
subsection (b), of staffing across the Bureau of Prisons, as 
well as the impact of any understaffing on employees, 
individuals in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, and 
overall agency spending; and
(2) submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the House 
of Representatives, the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
Senate, and the Council of Prison Locals C-33 within the 
American Federation of Government Employees Organization--
(A) a plan for recruiting job applicants, filling 
vacancies, reducing mandated overtime and misuse of 
augmentation, and strengthening staffing across the 
Bureau of Prisons; and
(B) a guideline for staffing requirements 
including--
(i) the number of correctional officers 
needed per individual in the custody of the 
Bureau of Prisons for each housing unit, 
building, or location where individuals in the 
custody of the Bureau of Prisons are located; 
and
(ii) the number of employees, including 
teachers, counselors, case managers, and 
medical staff, needed per individual in the 
custody of the Bureau of Prisons for non-
correctional departments, disaggregated by the 
three primary shifts, security levels, and any 
special mission within the Bureau of Prisons.
(b) Requirements of Review.--The external review completed under 
subsection (a)(1) shall be conducted by a non-Bureau of Prisons 
organization, in consultation with--
(1) the Council of Prison Locals C-33 within the American 
Federation of Government Employees Organization;
(2) civil rights organizations; and
(3) organizations focused on reducing recidivism through 
educational, mental health, and substance use disorder 
programming.
(c) Contents.--The review required under subsection (a) shall--
(1) identify and address the effects of understaffing on--
(A) the length of time during which individuals in 
the custody of the Bureau of Prisons are placed on 
waiting lists to receive care or programming;
(B) the availability of medical care for 
individuals in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, 
including substance use disorder treatment programs, 
mental health programs, and maternal health programs;
(C) the processing of an individuals' in the 
custody of the Bureau of Prisons application for 
compassionate release, home confinement, and time 
credits established under title I of the First Step Act 
of 2018 (18 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.);
(D) the availability of teachers, therapists, and 
other support staff for evidence-based recidivism 
reduction programs and productive activities (as such 
terms are defined in section 3635 of title 18, United 
States Code);
(E) adequate protections for staff and individuals 
in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons against 
violence, neglect, and sexual misconduct;
(F) the availability of sanitary and efficient food 
services;
(G) prison security, including the detection of 
contraband;
(H) the efficient installation of security cameras 
and plans to remedy deficits in security camera 
systems;
(I) the conversion of existing analog radio systems 
to digital radios equipped with the man-down feature;
(J) stressful work environments, mandated overtime, 
augmentation, and other workplace conditions that may 
jeopardize employees' mental and physical health; and
(K) additional costs incurred by the Bureau of 
Prisons, including costs associated with augmentation 
and overtime;
(2) include an independent review, conducted by the 
National Academy of Medicine, a nonprofit organization, or 
other type of organization determined by the Director to be 
capable of conducting such review, of the adequacy and quality 
of medical care available to individuals in the custody of the 
Bureau of Prisons;
(3) include a comparison of the various methodologies used 
by the Bureau of Prisons to assess staffing levels, as well as 
any possible misalignments and inconsistencies in terminology 
between these methodologies; and
(4) include a 3-year strategic plan and cost projection for 
filling existing vacancies and maintaining staffing across the 
Bureau of Prisons.
(d) Implementation Deadline.--Not later than 3 years after the date 
on which the plan is submitted under subsection (a)(2), and subject to 
appropriations, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall complete 
implementation of the submitted plan.
(e) Annual Progress Reports.--Beginning 1 year after the date on 
which the plan is submitted under subsection (a)(2), and each year 
thereafter until the end of the 3-year period described in subsection 
(c), the Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall submit to the 
Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate, and the Council of Prison 
Locals C-33 within the American Federation of Government Employees 
Organization a report on the progress of the implementation of the plan 
submitted under subsection (a)(2).
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