Bill > S698

This bill requires the Director of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), a significant law enforcement component within the Department of Justice, to be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, similar to other high-ranking officials in the department. Currently, the BOP Director is simply appointed by and serving directly under the Attorney General. The bill highlights the BOP's substantial responsibilities, including overseeing 122 facilities, managing over 155,000 federal inmates, and supervising more than 35,000 employees with a budget exceeding $8.39 billion in fiscal year 2024. Under the proposed legislation, the BOP Director would be appointed for a 10-year term, with the ability to serve until a successor is confirmed, but limited to a single term. The current BOP Director would have three months after the bill's enactment to continue serving, and the President would retain the ability to appoint the incumbent or a new director through the Senate confirmation process. This change aims to increase accountability and oversight of the Bureau of Prisons by subjecting its leadership to the same Senate confirmation process as other key Department of Justice leadership roles.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/698/all-info