Fond Du Lac Times

Congressmen Glenn Grothman (R-WI) and Matt Cartwright (D-PA) have introduced the BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at addressing the staffing shortage in Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities across the country. The bill seeks to cut bureaucratic red tape and enhance the safety and security of BOP personnel.

According to Grothman, the federal bureaucracy unnecessarily multiplies the labor shortages faced in the country when it comes to hiring correctional officers. He highlighted the staffing crisis that has devastated BOP facilities and personnel nationwide, citing his visit to the Federal Correctional Institution in Oxford, Wisconsin.

Cartwright emphasized that the chronic understaffing at the federal Bureau of Prisons undermines the prison system's ability to ensure safety, accountability, and rehabilitation. He highlighted the need for immediate action to address the existing bureaucratic approach, which takes too long to hire new corrections officers.

The BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act has received support from 11 cosponsors and the Council of Prison Locals C-33 (CPL-33), the largest union for BOP employees nationwide. Brandy Moore White, National President of CPL-33, expressed concerns about the dangerously low staffing levels in BOP institutions, which pose significant risks to both staff and inmates. She emphasized the need for the enactment of the bill to ensure the safety and security of prison facilities.

The lack of manpower in BOP facilities has been an ongoing issue, affecting the safety and well-being of both BOP personnel and inmates. Shane Fausey, National President of the Council of Prison Locals, highlighted the decline in staffing levels at BOP from 43,369 employees in January 2016 to 35,000 employees in September 2022.

One of the major obstacles to hiring personnel in a timely manner is the requirements by the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Currently, applicants to BOP must go through OPM before their applications are made available to individual BOP facilities for potential hire. This process takes a minimum of 105 days, resulting in a lag of six months between posting a position and filling it.

To address this issue, the BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act proposes providing individual BOP facilities with direct-hire authority for all vacant positions throughout the agency. This streamlined approach aims to expedite the hiring process and ensure critical positions are filled promptly and efficiently.

The bill would grant direct-hire authority for all BOP facilities until each facility reaches a level of 96 percent staffed. It has garnered support from the Council of Prison Locals C-33 (CPL-33), the largest union for BOP employees nationwide.

In addition to Grothman and Cartwright, several other representatives have joined as cosponsors of the bill. They include Representatives Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Larry Bucshon (R-IN), Ralph Norman (R-SC), David Trone (D-MD), Randy Weber (R-TX), Bill Johnson (R-OH), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), and Beth Van Duyne (R-TX).

The BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act aims to address the staffing shortage in BOP facilities and improve the safety and security of both staff and inmates. With bipartisan support and the backing of the largest union for BOP employees, the bill seeks to streamline the hiring process and ensure critical positions are filled promptly.

Click this link to access more information: https://grothman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3752