WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) reintroduced the Federal Prisons Accountability Act. The legislation would bring greater accountability to federal prisons by requiring the Director of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to be confirmed by the Senate. Currently, the BOP Director is not subject to Senate confirmation, despite having significant authority over taxpayer dollars and federal personnel.
“The Director of the Bureau of Prisons oversees a massive budget and thousands of employees, including many Iowans. It’s a significant responsibility that requires serious oversight to protect inmates and employees from mismanagement or abuse. Requiring the BOP Director to face Senate confirmation would bring much needed transparency and accountability to the federal prison system,” Grassley said.
“The Senate plays a vital role in staffing the federal government, evaluating the qualifications of more than a thousand presidential nominees to ensure transparency and accountability. The Director of the Bureau of Prisons oversees thousands of employees and a multi-billion-dollar budget, and should be subject to Senate review and confirmation as well. Our bill would extend the Senate’s advice and consent role to the Bureau of Prisons Director and expand supervision over this federal agency. The thousands of Americans – and hundreds of Kentuckians – employed by the Bureau of Prisons deserve Senate oversight and an added layer of protection from harm,” McConnell said.
Background:
The Federal Prisons Accountability Act of 2025 would require the President to appoint the BOP Director with the advice and consent of the Senate. The legislation would also limit a BOP Director’s tenure to a single, 10-year term.
Unlike most Department of Justice (DOJ) administrators and directors, the BOP Director is appointed by the Attorney General – not the President – without Senate consideration. The BOP Director supervises the federal prison employees who serve in over 120 facilities across the country. This legislation would subject the Director to the same congressional scrutiny as other top law enforcement agency chiefs within the DOJ, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation Director, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives Director and the Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator.
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