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Congress·In Committee·about 2 months ago

Congress Proposes 35% Pay Raise for Federal Prison Officers to Fix Staffing Shortages

Also known as: Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act of 2026

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impacts

Positive Impacts(2)
Federal Employee
Helps

Federal correctional officers receive a 35% base pay increase to improve recruitment and retention, plus the raise counts toward retirement benefits.

Retiree
Helps

Future federal correctional officer retirees will receive higher pension benefits since the 35% pay increase counts as basic pay for retirement calculations.

Key Points

  • This bill, introduced by Congress, would give federal correctional officers working for the Bureau of Prisons a 35% increase in their base pay. This raise would apply to officers who directly supervise inmates or have regular contact with them as part of their daily jobs.
  • The goal is to help the government hire and keep more prison staff. Currently, many federal prisons are so short-staffed that they have to use office workers or teachers to fill guard roles and force regular officers to work excessive amounts of overtime.
  • The pay bump would count toward the officers' retirement benefits and other pay calculations. It covers both standard salary employees and certain hourly workers, though there is a limit on the total amount any one person can earn to ensure it doesn't exceed high-level government executive pay.
  • This pay increase would last for at least five years. Before that time is up, the Department of Justice Inspector General will check if the extra money actually helped reduce staffing problems and overtime. If the program is proven to be working, the pay raise will stay in place.
Labor EmploymentCriminal JusticeEconomy

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Jan 13, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within months of bill passage, pending Congressional approval and presidential signature

35% pay raise takes effect for federal correctional officers

Federal prison guards and eligible staff see their paychecks increase by 35%, affecting around 18,000-20,000 Bureau of Prisons employees nationwide

180 days before the 5-year mark (approximately 4.5 years after bill becomes law)

Inspector General review of pay raise effectiveness

The Department of Justice Inspector General evaluates whether the pay increase successfully reduced staffing shortages and excessive overtime in federal prisons

5 years after the bill becomes law

Pay raise sunset or continuation decision

The 35% pay increase either expires or becomes permanent based on whether the program successfully improved prison staffing and safety

Related News

4 articles
Government Executive·about 2 months ago

Lawmakers propose 35% pay raise for federal prison workers

Bipartisan legislation would establish a special pay rate for employees at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons until the agency reduces its reliance on mandatory overtime and augmentation of support staff's duties. The bill aims to counter longstanding staffing shortages at federal institutions.

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Federal News Network·about 2 months ago

Bipartisan lawmakers propose 35% federal pay raise for Bureau of Prisons officers

New legislation to give BOP correctional officers a 35% federal pay raise attempts to address longstanding staffing shortages across the agency. The Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act was introduced by a bipartisan group in both the House and Senate.

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WKOK Newsradio 1070·about 2 months ago

Federal Prison Staffing Bill Proposes Major Pay Boost

A bipartisan bill aims to tackle chronic staffing shortages at federal prisons by raising correctional officer pay nationwide. US Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Dave McCormick are sponsoring the act, which would provide a 35% pay increase for federal correctional officers.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 7033
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(38)
D: 23R: 15

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.