Prison industries overhaul bill stalls in House committee

A surprise uprising among usually faithful House Judiciary Republicans Thursday blocked approval of a bill requiring federal prisons to compete with private companies when selling goods to the government.

The measure (H.R. 2965) was considered a cinch for easy approval before the committee met since the panel had approved it in each of the last two Congresses. The full House even approved it in the last Congress, although it never made it through the Senate.

The bill would require Federal Prison Industries, the umbrella group over work produced in prisons, to sell furniture and other goods in competition with private firms. Now federal agencies are required to seek supplies worth at least $2,500 from the prison industry first.

But soon after Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wisc., called up the measure that he supports, some of the most stalwart party loyalists the chairman counted on for backing criticized the bill.

Rep. Steve Chabot, R-N.C., then offered an amendment for a two-year study of the market impact of prison labor and other matters, a move that would scuttle the prison reform bill.

Chabot and others argued that jeopardizing prison industries could harm efforts to rehabilitate prisoners and increase crime once prisoners are released. "FPI is an effective alternative to idleness," said Chabot, who pointed to a Government Accountability Office study that prison labor layoffs could result in costs of $50 million more a year in hiring prison guards to prevent unrest.

Arguing against the study, Rep. Howard Coble, R-N.C., said "this matter has been studied over and over and over."

Furniture makers in particular want to get more sales in the federal government market but several Republicans said it was more important that prisoners get job training to prevent crime when released. A prison industry lobbyist said prison-made furniture is only a small fraction of the entire furniture market.

When it appeared Sensenbrenner could lose to Chabot, Sensenbrenner loyalist Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Tex., moved the committee adjourn to prevent an apparent defeat. The committee then voted against adjourning.

But rather voting on Chabot's amendment, Sensenbrenner recessed the committee to go to the House floor. After the committee returned, it then voted to quit for the day, and perhaps resume the fight over prison labor later. No date was scheduled to resume debate.