Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act

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Bill ID: 119/s/307
Last Updated: April 9, 2026

Sponsored by

Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]

ID: B001243

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Held at the desk.

May 5, 2025

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

🏛️

Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

Passed Senate

🏛️

House Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another exercise in legislative theater, where our esteemed lawmakers pretend to care about the well-being of prison staff while actually doing nothing but grandstanding for votes and campaign donations.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act (S 307) claims to address the rampant sexual harassment and assault of Bureau of Prisons staff by inmates. The bill's primary objective is to implement recommendations from a 2023 Inspector General report, which exposed the Bureau's ineptitude in collecting data on these incidents and mitigating their occurrence.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Bureau to:

1. Implement the Inspector General's recommendations within 90 days. 2. Provide updated data on sexual harassment and assault incidents to the Inspector General for analysis. 3. Conduct an analysis of punishments for these incidents in facilities controlled by the Bureau.

The Attorney General is then required to promulgate a rule adopting national standards for prevention, reduction, and punishment of these incidents within one year of receiving the analysis.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:**

* Bureau of Prisons staff (the supposed beneficiaries of this bill) * Inmates (who will likely continue to harass and assault staff with impunity) * The Inspector General (who gets to produce more reports that will be ignored by lawmakers) * Lawmakers themselves (who get to pretend they care about prison reform while doing nothing meaningful)

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It does not address the root causes of these incidents, such as understaffing, inadequate training, and poor facility design. The Bureau will likely continue to fail in collecting accurate data and implementing effective mitigation strategies.

The real impact of this bill will be:

1. More paperwork for bureaucrats. 2. A temporary PR boost for lawmakers who voted for it. 3. Continued suffering for prison staff who will remain vulnerable to harassment and assault.

In short, this bill is a farce, a cynical attempt to appear concerned about prison reform while doing nothing to actually address the problem. It's a classic case of "legislative lupus" – a disease where lawmakers pretend to care about an issue but ultimately do more harm than good.

Related Topics

Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Transportation & Infrastructure State & Local Government Affairs National Security & Intelligence Congressional Rules & Procedures Government Operations & Accountability Federal Budget & Appropriations Small Business & Entrepreneurship Civil Rights & Liberties
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💰 Campaign Finance Network

Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$166,000
23 donors
PACs
$5,000
Organizations
$7,900
Committees
$0
Individuals
$153,100
1
FRIENDS OF COMMUNITY ONCOLOGY PAC
1 transaction
$5,000
1
THE COGGIN GROUP
2 transactions
$5,400
2
DOSS BROTHERS FARM
2 transactions
$2,000
3
BL PARTNERS GROUP LLC
1 transaction
$500

No committee contributions found

1
KING, RODNEY W.
1 transaction
$13,200
2
KINNEY, CHRIS
2 transactions
$13,200
3
BEAN, BILL G.
1 transaction
$10,000
4
SMITH, THOMAS
1 transaction
$10,000
5
GAMBLE, KATHRYN
1 transaction
$9,900
6
NEWVERRY, KARMA
1 transaction
$9,900
7
WETHERINGTON, WILLIAM MICHAEL MR.
1 transaction
$7,600
8
HAMPTON, GEORGE
1 transaction
$6,700
9
HARWELL, SAMUEL K. MR. IV
1 transaction
$6,600
10
HARWELL, SAMUEL K.
1 transaction
$6,600
11
KING, MARY L.
1 transaction
$6,600
12
SENSING, LUCY T. MRS.
1 transaction
$6,600
13
VITAL, GREG A.
1 transaction
$6,600
14
BRADLEY, JACQUELINE
1 transaction
$6,600
15
PRESTON, CASEY MS.
1 transaction
$6,600
16
DEVOS, BETSY
1 transaction
$6,600
17
DEVOS, DANIEL G. MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
18
DEVOS, DOUGLAS L. MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
19
DEVOS, RICHARD M. JR.
1 transaction
$6,600

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 3 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]

ID: O000174

Top Contributors

10

1
THOMAS, TORI
Individual MCLEAN, VA
$9,100
Jun 30, 2024
2
MCCLURE, RODERICK
RODFATHER PRODUCTIONS BUSINESS OWNER
Individual ALPHARETTA, GA
$6,600
Nov 25, 2024
3
MCCLURE, RODERICK
Individual ALPHARETTA, GA
$6,600
Dec 23, 2024
4
HOLLANDER, ELLEN
NOT EMPLOYED NOT EMPLOYED
Individual ROSWELL, GA
$5,000
Oct 6, 2024
5
HOLLANDER, ELLEN
Individual ROSWELL, GA
$5,000
Oct 14, 2024
6
MILLER, KRISTIE
SELF EMPLOYED WRITER
Individual WASHINGTON, DC
$3,300
Jun 5, 2024
7
RECHNITZ, JOAN
NOT EMPLOYED RETIRED
Individual RED BANK, NJ
$3,300
Apr 22, 2024
8
HOPPER, HEIDI
NOT EMPLOYED RETIRED
Individual MENLO PARK, CA
$3,300
May 3, 2024
9
BRASCH, JOHN
NOT EMPLOYED NOT EMPLOYED
Individual LINCOLN, NE
$3,300
Apr 16, 2024
10
ARNOLD, JOHN
ARNOLD VENTURES CO-FOUNDER
Individual HOUSTON, TX
$3,300
Apr 2, 2024

Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]

ID: J000312

Top Contributors

10

1
VECELLIO, LEO A. JR.
SELF-EMPLOYED CORP EXEC
Individual PALM BEACH, FL
$13,200
Jun 1, 2023
2
HASLAM, JAMES A. II
PILOT FLYING J CHAIRMAN
Individual KNOXVILLE, TN
$13,200
Jun 28, 2023
3
MCCLUNG, RICHARD E.
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual LEWISBURG, WV
$13,200
Jun 30, 2023
4
MILLER, CHRISTOPHER D.
DUTCH MILLER KIA OWNER
Individual HUNTINGTON, WV
$13,200
Jun 30, 2023
5
WAY, GLENN MR.
CHARTER ONE FOUNDER
Individual QUEEN CREEK, AZ
$10,000
Oct 18, 2023
6
BUNN, JAMES O.
SELF-EMPLOYED MINING ENGINEER
Individual BRISTOL, VA
$6,600
Sep 30, 2023
7
CORRIGAN, FREDRIC W.
Individual EDINA, MN
$6,600
Sep 30, 2023
8
ERICKSON, KRISTINE S. MRS.
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual EDINA, MN
$6,600
Sep 30, 2023
9
ERICKSON, RONALD A. MR.
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual EDINA, MN
$6,600
Sep 30, 2023
10
KROLL, MARK W. DR.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA ADJUNCT FULL PROFESSOR
Individual CRYSTAL BAY, MN
$6,600
Sep 30, 2023

Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]

ID: K000377

Top Contributors

10

1
REPUBLICAN MAINSTREET PARTNERSHIP PAC
PAC WASHINGTON, DC
$1,000
Nov 30, 2023
2
PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE
Organization TUCSON, AZ
$3,300
Oct 23, 2023
3
THE CHICKASAW NATION
Organization ADA, OK
$2,500
May 23, 2024
4
GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY
Organization SACATON, AZ
$1,000
Jun 15, 2023
5
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
Organization PRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Aug 12, 2024
6
SYCUAN BAND OF THE KUMEYAAY NATION
Organization EL CAJON, CA
$3,300
Dec 31, 2024
7
MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBE
Organization LEDYARD, CT
$3,300
Oct 23, 2023
8
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization BANNING, CA
$3,300
Mar 24, 2023
9
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization BANNING, CA
$3,300
Sep 30, 2024
10
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization SANTA YNEZ, CA
$3,000
Sep 30, 2024

Donor Network - Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 35 nodes and 35 connections

Total contributions: $234,700

Top Donors - Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]

Showing top 23 donors by contribution amount

1 PAC3 Orgs19 Individuals