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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Contraband Elimi-
nation and Safety Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Mail service is one of the oldest and most 
commonly used methods to introduce contraband 
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into correction facilities, creating an expensive and 
often lethal problem for both inmates and employees 
of the Federal prison facility. 
(2) Processing mail in-house puts staff mem-
bers in danger of substance exposure and increases 
risk of contraband items entering the facility. 
(3) Studies have consistently found that pris-
oners who maintain close contact with their family 
members while incarcerated have better post-release 
outcomes and lower recidivism rates. 
(4) Effective offsite mail processing ensures 
that prisoners’ right to receive mail is protected and 
gives prison officials a safe, defensible alternative to 
mail restrictions that are unreasonable and arbi-
trary. 
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM TO REDUCE CONTRABAND. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the 
Bureau of Prisons shall establish a pilot program to— 
(1) permit a Federal prison facility to screen 
mail and packages for contraband at an offsite se-
cure facility before such mail and packages arrive at 
the Federal prison facility pursuant to subsection 
(c); 
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(2) protect employees of the Federal prison fa-
cility and individuals incarcerated at such facilities 
from contraband; and 
(3) ensure effective, ongoing communication for 
individuals who are incarcerated. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The pilot program under sub-
section (a) shall— 
(1) screen, digitize, and reprint— 
(A) hand-written postal mail in a secure 
facility; and 
(B) digital mail, including photos and cor-
respondence, from a web-based application de-
veloped to provide individuals the opportunity 
to communicate with individuals who are incar-
cerated; 
(2) permit employees of a Federal prison facil-
ity to review mail digitized pursuant to paragraph 
(1) on a web-based application, in advance of its ar-
rival at the facility; and 
(3) permit employees of a Federal prison facil-
ity to electronically verify the authenticity of legal 
mail prior or upon its arrival at a Federal prison fa-
cility, without violating attorney-client privilege. 
(c) NO ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT.—The pilot pro-
gram under subsection (a) shall not require additional 
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equipment or infrastructure to be developed or obtained 
by the Bureau of Prisons. The Director may enter into 
a contract with an entity to meet the requirements of the 
pilot program under subsection (a). 
(d) POPULATION.—The pilot program under sub-
section (a) shall— 
(1) operate for no less than two years; and 
(2) shall represent not less than 10 percent of 
individuals incarcerated at Federal prison facilities. 
(e) REPORTING.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and not later than one 
year after the pilot program under subsection (a) ends, 
the Director shall submit a report to the Committees on 
the Judiciary and the Subcommittees on Commerce, Jus-
tice, Science, and Related Agencies of the Committees on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
Senate, including— 
(1) whether the pilot program under subsection 
(a) has reduced the presence of contraband in Fed-
eral prison facilities; 
(2) the impact of such pilot program on the 
safety of employees and inmates of the Federal pris-
on facilities; and 
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(3) recommendations for implementing a sus-
tainable solution to reducing the amount of contra-
band that enters a Federal prison facility. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out the pilot pro-
gram under this section such sums as may be necessary 
for each of the fiscal years 2022 to 2023. 
Æ 
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