What This Bill Does
This bill provides funding for job training and education programs inside federal prisons run by the Bureau of Prisons. It aims to give incarcerated people the chance to learn work skills that will help them find jobs after they are released.
Who It Affects
The Bureau of Prisons, incarcerated people in federal prisons, the Attorney General, and potentially employers who hire formerly incarcerated workers.
Key Provisions
• $210,000,000 is authorized to be given to the Bureau of Prisons for occupational education and training programs for fiscal years 2024 through 2029 (Sec. 2(a)(1))
• Starting 2 years after this law passes, the Bureau of Prisons must give the Attorney General yearly public reports analyzing how well these programs teach job skills, improve quality of life, and increase job prospects for incarcerated workers (Sec. 2(a)(2))
• The number of prison work pilot projects allowed increases from 50 to 100 (Sec. 2(b))
• $10,000,000 is authorized for each fiscal year 2024 through 2029 for section 3041(a)(4) of part NN of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (Sec. 2(c)(1)(A))
• $70,000,000 is authorized for each fiscal year 2024 through 2029 to carry out section 2976(o) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (Sec. 2(c)(1)(B))
• $20,000,000 is authorized for each fiscal year 2024 through 2029 for Careers Training and Demonstration Grants under the Second Chance Act of 2007 (Sec. 2(c)(2))
What Changes
The Bureau of Prisons receives federal money to expand job training programs. Prisons can run more work pilot projects. The government must report publicly each year on whether these programs are actually helping incarcerated people gain job skills.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 508
To authorize appropriations for occupational education and training programs
of the Bureau of Prisons, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 16, 2023
Mr. BOOKER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To authorize appropriations for occupational education and
training programs of the Bureau of Prisons, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ensuring Work Oppor-
4
tunities in Correctional Facilities Act of 2023’’.
5
SEC. 2. EXPANDED WORK PROGRAMS.
6
(a) OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.—
7
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be
8
appropriated to the Bureau of Prisons $210,000,000
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•S 508 IS
for fiscal years 2024 through 2029 for occupational
1
education and training programs.
2
(2) REPORTS.—Beginning on the date that is 2
3
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
4
Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall submit to
5
the Attorney General public annual reports, pro-
6
duced by the Program Review Division of the Bu-
7
reau of Prisons, an independent governmental or
8
nongovernmental agency, or a private auditor,
9
that—
10
(A) includes a list of the programs that re-
11
ceive the funds appropriated under paragraph
12
(1); and
13
(B) analyzes the efficacy of the programs
14
described in subparagraph (A) in providing in-
15
carcerated workers with valuable job skills, im-
16
proving their quality of life, and increasing
17
their job prospects upon release.
18
(b) PRISON
WORK
PILOT
PROJECTS.—Section
19
1761(c)(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended
20
by striking ‘‘50’’ and inserting ‘‘100’’.
21
(c) VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS.—
22
(1) OMNIBUS
CRIME
CONTROL
AND
SAFE
23
STREETS ACT OF 1968.—The Omnibus Crime Con-
24
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trol and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10101
1
et seq.) is amended—
2
(A)
in
section
1001(a)
(34
U.S.C.
3
10261(a)), by striking paragraph (28) and in-
4
serting the following:
5
‘‘(28) There are authorized to be appropriated
6
to carry out section 3041(a)(4) of part NN
7
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through
8
2029.’’; and
9
(B)
in
section
2976(o)
(34
U.S.C.
10
10631(o)), by striking paragraph (1) and in-
11
serting the following:
12
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To carry out this section,
13
there are authorized to be appropriated $70,000,000
14
for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029.’’.
15
(2) CAREERS TRAINING AND DEMONSTRATION
16
GRANTS.—Section 115 of the Second Chance Act of
17
2007 (34 U.S.C. 60511) is amended by striking sub-
18
section (f) and inserting the following:
19
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
20
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
21
$20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029.’’.
22
Æ
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