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| House Votes on Prison Workers Bill |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 11/07/2003 |
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The House on Thursday voted to make federal prisoners compete with businesses for government work, saying a government-run corporation that uses inmates to make office furniture, electronics and other products is putting other Americans out of work. Lawmakers complained that the cheap labor and guaranteed contracts of Federal Prison Industries, Inc., has been putting small businesses in their states out of business through laws that require federal agencies to buy products there. Federal Prison Industries, Inc., makes 150 products, including office furniture, electronics and textiles, and its entire product line is sold exclusively to federal agencies. The agencies must buy their products from FPI, under the trade name Unicor, unless the corporation does not manufacture the item or it grants a waiver allowing the agency to shop elsewhere. The corporation, an arm of the Justice Department's Federal Bureau of Prisons, employs 21,778 prisoners and is promoted as providing job training that inmates can use once they are released. Under the legislation, which passed 350-65, government agencies would get the ability to decide whether FPI's products and delivery schedule meet their needs, instead of that decision being made by FPI. Agencies also would be able to decide whether FPI's prices are "fair and reasonable." The bill also authorizes $75 million per year for alternative rehabilitation programs, and allows FPI to produce services and products for donation to nonprofit organizations that assist low-income people. The House also decided to ban FPI from bidding on any contract set aside exclusively for small businesses and to increase to $2.50 per hour the pay for inmates with less than two years remaining on their prison terms. Current inmate pay rates range from 23 cents to $1.15. The bill now goes to the Senate. |
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