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H.R. 5266 "INTERDICTION OF FENTANYL IN POSTAL MAIL AT FEDERAL PRISONS ACT."

The 118th Congress

ABOUT

As the opioid crisis continues to impact communities nationwide, our federal prisons have become increasingly deadly, with one cause of death rising dramatically: drug overdoses.

 

Aggressive efforts smuggling narcotics like fentanyl and fentanyl analogues in inmate postal and bogus legal mail show no signs of abating.  Inmate postal and legal mail are among the primary entry points for smuggling drugs into prison facilities, posing threats to employees, inmates, and the security of correctional institutions.

 

The reprehensible acts of targeting with "weaponizing mail" by deliberately lacing items with enough opioids to ensure targeted lethality represents the most dramatic and emerging concern to prisons in decades.

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CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS

Discover what congress has uncovered about drug smuggling in inmate postal and bogus legal mail to our federal prisons, and the effects H.R. 5266 has on inmare, offier, and staff safety, overdoses, impoving culture, supporting inmates, families, and offers big budget relief and more.

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Bill Text

BILL TEXT

Complete bill text can be found from the link below.

IN THE NEWS

“One of our missions is that of public safety. Mail is being circulated with inmates’ mail that is potentially soaked in life threatening drugs. For example, a birthday card for your child could be circulated in the same batch of mail as mail soaked in K2." AFGE Local 3003 President Dave Demas

Bureau of Prisons employees hospitalized over drug-laced prisoner mail

Three Thomson employees were hospitalized for exposure to drugs that had entered the prison through the mail.

The National Union president has called on Congress to act, stating, "There should not be a price tage on our life."  H.R. 5266 ensures there is no possibility of drugs coming into the institution.
 

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The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 750,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

Influx of dangerous drugs through mail poses risk to officers, inmates at USP Canaan 

The union representing federal employees at USP Canaan in Wayne County has issued a statement regarding what they describe as an alarming drug problem at the penitentiary: mail laced with drugs reaching inmates.

USP Thomson sees third mail room drug exposure

Officials said that a prison staff member experienced severe numbness after they were exposed to synthetic drugs while sorting inmate mail.

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The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 750,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

AFGE Local 4070 Calls for Staffing Increases Following Hospitalization of BOP Officer

A federal correctional officer at United States Penitentiary Thomson in Illinois was hospitalized March 15 after allegedly being exposed to drugs during a mail screening.  The incident comes just three weeks after another officer at USP Thomson was hospitalized for exposure to synthetic drugs.

Federal Prison Workers Warn Of Dangerous Staffing Crisis

NBC News’ Vaughn Hillyard spoke to current and former guards working at a network of federal prisons in Florence, Colorado, who describe a dangerous staffing crisis. Many say they’ve been required to work 16 hour shifts repeatedly after an exodus of staff that they attribute to poor working conditions, risk and low pay.

Officers Protest over Dangerous Environment at BOP Sites

About staff shortages, and contraband, union president Ray Pinion stated, “There are international and domestic terrorists here, drug kingpins, so you're putting yourself in harm’s way, you don't know what's going to happen. The inmates are agitated, they're under stress, so are the staff.”

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Federal Inmate and Texas Woman Indicted for Attempt to Smuggle Drugs into Prison by Labeling Packages as “Legal Mail”

Bogus legal mail packages containing concealed narcotics were sent to various USP Atwater inmates marked each of the packages as “legal mail.” 

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118th Congress with cap bldg and flag.png

Bill Sponsor List

Meet over 60+ bipartisan sponsors supporting H.R. 5266.

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