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Keller Creates Bureau of Prisons Reform Caucus

A Pennsylvania Republican is leading the charge for a new bipartisan effort aimed at improving the Bureau of Prisons. 

On Friday, Rep. Fred Keller (R-Snyder) announced the creation of the bipartisan Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Reform Caucus. 

Outside of the Union County Courthouse, Keller and other local elected officials detailed the need for increased accountability and transparency within the BOP.  

“I am proud to launch the BOP Reform Caucus today to increase accountability and transparency within the Bureau of Prisons and continue to advocate for the heroes who go to work every day at federal prisons across America,” Keller said in a release. “With a $7 billion budget, more than 36,000 employees, and 172,000 inmates, BOP is a massive government agency, yet its leadership in Washington, D.C. lacks adequate congressional oversight.”

WNEP reports that Union County, which is within Keller’s district, has two federal prisons and since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the GOP congressman has been “vocal about his opposition to inmate transfers within the federal prison system.” 

“The continued movement of inmates across the nation during a pandemic and the most recent outbreak of COVID-19 in USP Lewisburg and FCC Allenwood are proof that the policies BOP set in place to mitigate the spread of the disease have failed,” Keller continued in his statement. “At this critical time in the re-opening phase of our economy and schools, this Caucus will allow Congress to work closely with BOP to ensure the health of our corrections officers, inmates, and the American people.”

The release from Keller’s office added that in addition to improving the accountability and transparency within the BOP, the caucus also hopes to “address systemic issues within the BOP system, and ensure the health and safety of corrections officers, staff, inmates, and the communities surrounding the prisons.”

There’s a total of six members of the BOP Reform Caucus, including two additional members of the state’s Congressional delegation, Reps. Matt Cartwright (D-Lackawanna) and G.T. Thompson (R-Centre). 

Both Cartwright and Thompson believe the newly formed caucus is the first step in addressing these issues. 

“As a member of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds the Bureau of Prisons, I’ve seen clearly that we need to fix this system. And it’s going to take a coalition of Democrats and Republicans to do it,” Cartwright said in a release. “Today marks the beginning of a coordinated effort to address longstanding issues like dangerous staffing practices that jeopardize the safety of staff and security of our correctional institutions.”

“The creation of the Bureau of Prisons Reform Caucus will bring Members of Congress together in a way to proactively address the challenges facing the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the hardworking federal Corrections Officers, and those the government aims to rehabilitate,” Thompson said in a statement.

While the BOP Reform Caucus includes several members of U.S. Congress, the Daily Item reports that state Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) and state Rep. David Rowe (R-Union) were present at Keller’s press conference in support of the effort.

19 Responses

  1. New poll came out from CNN. Biden will win the popular vote and will win the electoral vote. Epic sky screaming , crying rooms and coloring rooms from all the snowflake low iq voters. The flaming racist snowflakes will call for impeachment and Moscow Mitch McPharma will have a nervous break down.

    I speak for all. Trump is the Orange anus!

  2. Voting for Trump after last nights dumpster fire. Tom Perez should be fired .

  3. Trump can’t even get through an interview unless its Faux News. Too stupid to deal with real questions. Very low iq voters put him in office

  4. PoliticsPA staff is too busy jerking off as Joe Bin Hiden to notice the article is about federal prisons.

  5. Laughable that a GOPer wants to “improve” the federal prisons by kissing the ass of the guards’ union and not mentioning a single things for the inmates, who are suffering and dying from Covid in their crowded conditions.

  6. Biden just woke up from his nap. Many are nervous …. Will he remember to change his Depends before he speaks ….

    1. Trump just woke up from his nap. Many are nervous….Will he remember to change his Depends before he speaks?

  7. Big Mike speaks or will try to speak… tonight. She’s not very smart and doesn’t compare in looks to Presidents Trump hot wife !

  8. Another Republican, this time Miles Taylor, who worked with Trump condemns him.

    “At Homeland Security, I saw firsthand how dangerous Trump is for America.”

  9. Mrs. Obama talks tonight. She loves Joe. Agrees with Barry O that Joe will fix the Trump mess.

    Trumps the Orange anus. I speak for everyone !

    1. Miles Taylor voted for Hillary and still has a sore rear end because of her epic
      walk in the woods . He still can’t get over it . Sky screamer , snowflake , has pink hands .

      Trump will win . Joe’s just too old .

      1. Miles Taylor saw firsthand how dangerous Trump is for America. Trump still can’t get over it . Sky screamer , snowflake , has pink hands .

        Biden will win . Donald’s just too old .

  10. Mrs. Obimbo talks tonight. She evens hates Joe . Agrees with Barry Obimbo that Biden can
    f—k anything .

    Trumps the man . I speak for everyone !

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