Scranton Reporter

On May 10, Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08) introduced the Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act, which would revise locality pay rates for federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees, including correctional officers at U.S. Penitentiary, Canaan, in Wayne County.

The Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act would address staffing and retention problems facing BOP facilities by allowing for competitive pay that considers factors such as cost-of-living, commute times, and the hard work and dedication of correctional officers. Specifically, BOP facilities located within 200 miles of the nearest General Schedule (GS) locality pay area would be eligible to pay their staff higher, more competitive wages. 

“Correctional officers put their lives on the line every day to meet inmates’ needs and keep our communities safe. The value they add to civil society must be adequately reciprocated,” said Rep. Cartwright (PA-08), Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee. “This much needed pay increase will help address critical staffing shortages at USP Canaan and federal prisons across the country and will serve as an investment in the safety of the brave correction officers who go to work in them every day. I’m proud to support this bill again this Congress.”

"Our correctional officers deserve to be compensated fairly for their tireless service,” said Republican Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14), who co-sponsored the legislation. “This bill is a common-sense measure that will help us retain and recruit highly qualified officers and show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication.”

"The National Council of Prison Locals applauds the efforts of both Congressman Cartwright and Congressman Weber in the bipartisan work to support the Correctional Officers and Professionals of the Federal Bureau of Prisons," said Shane Fausey, President of the National Council of Prison Locals. "The common challenge in the nation's federal prison system is the inability to compete in an economic environment, adversely affecting the ability to recruit and retain qualified federal law enforcement officers. Our rural facilities cannot compete with neighboring urban markets and climbing rates of inflation. Elevated rates of prison violence and systemic dysfunction, caused by a staffing crisis of epic proportions, can be curtailed by passing the Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act. The human consequences of the status quo are not acceptable, and the American people deserve better."

When Cartwright first became a member of Congress in 2013, USP Canaan corrections officer Eric Williams was brutally murdered by an inmate. Since the tragic death of Officer Williams, Cartwright has made staff safety at USP Canaan and Bureau of Prisons facilities one of his priorities at home and across the country. His efforts include enacted legislation, enforced safety initiatives, and an increase in federal funding.

"The reintroduction of the Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act is a step in the right direction for the Federal Bureau of Prisons to make the wages for the staff more comparable to other law enforcement agencies,” said Dave Demas, American Federation of Government Employees LOCAL 3003 President. “If this bipartisan bill is passed, this would not only help the hard-working employees of the United States Penitentiary Canaan, but it would help the staffing crisis the Agency faces by hiring, and most importantly, retaining the current staff, who are leaving to seek employment in other agencies with better pay."

In January, Cartwright announced that he successfully secured $180 million in additional funding for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the 2023 Government Spending Package to sustain and increase BOP recruitment and hiring efforts nationwide.

“Prison officers face a unique kind of danger, and it is imperative we provide them with every tool and authorization necessary to protect their lives and wellbeing,” Cartwright said. “Sadly, we have lost too many good officers and the tragic loss of Eric Williams still weighs heavy on our hearts.”

Original source can be found here.