I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2092 

To direct the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to implement a pilot program 

to reduce the amount of contraband that enters correctional facilities, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 19, 2021 

Mr. HORSFORD (for himself and Mr. MCKINLEY) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To direct the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to implement 

a pilot program to reduce the amount of contraband 

that enters correctional facilities, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Contraband Elimi5 nation and Safety Act of 2021’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Mail service is one of the oldest and most 

9 commonly used methods to introduce contraband 


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1 into correction facilities, creating an expensive and 

2 often lethal problem for both inmates and employees 

3 of the Federal prison facility. 

4 (2) Processing mail in-house puts staff mem5 bers in danger of substance exposure and increases 

6 risk of contraband items entering the facility. 

7 (3) Studies have consistently found that pris8 oners who maintain close contact with their family 

9 members while incarcerated have better post-release 

10 outcomes and lower recidivism rates. 

11 (4) Effective offsite mail processing ensures 

12 that prisoners’ right to receive mail is protected and 

13 gives prison officials a safe, defensible alternative to 

14 mail restrictions that are unreasonable and arbi15 trary. 

16 SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM TO REDUCE CONTRABAND. 

17 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 

18 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the 

19 Bureau of Prisons shall establish a pilot program to— 

20 (1) permit a Federal prison facility to screen 

21 mail and packages for contraband at an offsite se22 cure facility before such mail and packages arrive at 

23 the Federal prison facility pursuant to subsection 

24 (c); 


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1 (2) protect employees of the Federal prison fa2 cility and individuals incarcerated at such facilities 

3 from contraband; and 

4 (3) ensure effective, ongoing communication for 

5 individuals who are incarcerated. 

6 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—The pilot program under sub7 section (a) shall— 

8 (1) screen, digitize, and reprint— 

9 (A) hand-written postal mail in a secure 

10 facility; and 

11 (B) digital mail, including photos and cor12 respondence, from a web-based application de13 veloped to provide individuals the opportunity 

14 to communicate with individuals who are incar15 cerated; 

16 (2) permit employees of a Federal prison facil17 ity to review mail digitized pursuant to paragraph 

18 (1) on a web-based application, in advance of its ar19 rival at the facility; and 

20 (3) permit employees of a Federal prison facil21 ity to electronically verify the authenticity of legal 

22 mail prior or upon its arrival at a Federal prison fa23 cility, without violating attorney-client privilege. 

24 (c) NO ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT.—The pilot pro25 gram under subsection (a) shall not require additional 


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1 equipment or infrastructure to be developed or obtained 

2 by the Bureau of Prisons. The Director may enter into 

3 a contract with an entity to meet the requirements of the 

4 pilot program under subsection (a). 

5 (d) POPULATION.—The pilot program under sub6 section (a) shall— 

7 (1) operate for no less than two years; and 

8 (2) shall represent not less than 10 percent of 

9 individuals incarcerated at Federal prison facilities. 

10 (e) REPORTING.—Not later than one year after the 

11 date of the enactment of this Act, and not later than one 

12 year after the pilot program under subsection (a) ends, 

13 the Director shall submit a report to the Committees on 

14 the Judiciary and the Subcommittees on Commerce, Jus15 tice, Science, and Related Agencies of the Committees on 

16 Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 

17 Senate, including— 

18 (1) whether the pilot program under subsection 

19 (a) has reduced the presence of contraband in Fed20 eral prison facilities; 

21 (2) the impact of such pilot program on the 

22 safety of employees and inmates of the Federal pris23 on facilities; and 


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1 (3) recommendations for implementing a sus2 tainable solution to reducing the amount of contra3 band that enters a Federal prison facility. 

4 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

5 authorized to be appropriated to carry out the pilot pro6 gram under this section such sums as may be necessary 

7 for each of the fiscal years 2022 to 2023. 

Æ 


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