“I applaud Congress for passing the ‘Federal Prison Oversight Act,’ and for the overwhelming bipartisan show of support to improve oversight of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Last year, the OIG launched an unannounced inspection program of BOP facilities. The inspections we conducted have identified critical shortcomings in BOP operations, including staff shortages in health and education programs, infrastructure in desperate need of repair, and moldy and rotten food being served to inmates.
This Act recognizes the importance of our inspection program, and we look forward to working with Congress to expand its impact. I would like to recognize the Act’s primary sponsors, Senators Jon Ossoff, Mike Braun, and Dick Durbin and Representatives Lucy McBath and Kelly Armstrong, as well as all the Act’s co-sponsors, for their bipartisan efforts to improve the BOP.”