Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Elise Stefanik announced that the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Reform Caucus was reintroduced for the 118th Congress.
“As the Representative of the Federal Bureau of Prisons' Ray Brook, I am proud to join my colleagues as a member of the Bureau of Prisons Reform Caucus to address the significant challenges our hardworking correctional officers are facing such as low staffing and retention issues. These law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every single day and I am committed to addressing their staffing, compensation, and retirement issues in Congress,” said Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.
In February 2024, Congresswoman Stefanik met with Federal Bureau of Prisons' Ray Brook correctional officers who are facing significant challenges such as low staffing and retention issues. Stefanik discussed her work to address the staffing, compensation, and retirement issues our law enforcement officers are facing in Congress.
This Congress, Stefanik is also a cosponsor of several pieces of legislation in support of our law enforcement officers including:
- The BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act: a bipartisan bill to alleviate staffing shortages at BOP facilities across the country by cutting bureaucratic red tape, which will enhance the safety and security of BOP personnel.
- The Public Safety Retirees Healthcare Protection Act: legislation that would raise the amount of money that retired public safety officers can withdraw tax free from their pension plan each year from $3,000 to $6,000.
- The Federal Retirement Fairness Act: a bill which modifies the federal civilian service that is creditable service under the Federal Employees Retirement System. Specifically, it would provide certain federal employees the opportunity to make catch-up retirement contributions for the time spent as temporary employees after Dec. 31, 1988, therefore making such time creditable service under the Federal Employees Retirement System.
- The Interdiction of Fentanyl in Postal Mail at Federal Prisons Act: a bill that aims to eliminate contraband, including fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, and other synthetic opioids from entering Federal prison facilities hidden in inmate postal and legal mail. It requires the BOP to develop and implement a strategy to interdict synthetic drugs in the mail at Federal correctional facilities.
- The Social Security Fairness Act: a bill which repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision and GPO provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits. Specifically, this legislation would eliminate the Government Pension Offset which in various instances reduces Social Security benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive government pensions of their own.
In December 2022, Congresswoman Stefanik voted to advance the bipartisan Prison Camera Reform Act, which aims to mandate evaluations in federal prisons. After evaluations are conducted, deficiencies found would then need to be addressed by the BOP, with changes required to be implemented within three years.
In June 2018, Stefanik also joined a letter to then U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions opposing staffing cuts at the BOP.
