Bresnahan Leads Fix to Close Pay Gap for Federal Correctional Officers
WASHINGTON, DC: Today, U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) announced he, alongside Rep. Dan Goldman (NY-10), introduced the Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act. This bipartisan legislation would bring pay for federal correctional officers in line with other federal law enforcement agencies, strengthening recruitment and retention to address the chromic and severe staffing shortages inside federal prisons.
“Our correctional officers, like those at USP Canaan, have been asked to do more with less for far too long, and it’s not sustainable,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “This legislation provides a long-term fix that will help bring in new officers, keep experienced staff on the job, and cut the reliance on mandatory overtime, making our prisons safer for everyone.”
Federal correctional officers are facing unfilled vacancies, excessive mandatory overtime, and pay that falls far behind other federal law enforcement agencies. This strains workforce morale, disrupts inmate programming, and creates unsafe conditions inside Bureau of Prisons facilities.
The Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act directly addresses these chronic issues by establishing a nationwide special pay rate to deliver a 35 percent base pay increase for federal correctional officers, with ongoing oversight to ensure it reduces staffing shortages and excessive overtime. By strengthening recruitment and retention, the legislation will allow facilities to restore essential programs, reduce lockdowns, and improve overall institutional safety.
This bill is supported by the AFGE CPL-33 Local 3003 and the AFGE Council of Prison Locals 33.
“On behalf of the 30,000 federal correctional officers who serve this country inside the most dangerous places in America, I want to thank Congressman Rob Bresnahan for his leadership on the Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act,” said David J. Demas, President AFGE Local 3003 – Council of Prison Locals 33. “Your commitment to fair compensation, staffing stability, and officer safety is a vital step toward correcting long-standing inequities in federal law enforcement pay. We appreciate your continued support for the men and women who serve and protect.”
PA-08 is home to USP Canaan, located in Wayne County, one of the most dangerous maximum-security prisons on the East Coast.
This bill builds on Rep. Bresnahan’s work to support correctional officers and improve staffing at facilities like USP Canaan through proven, bipartisan solutions. These efforts include:
- Working to end the delay in finalizing the switch to New York locality pay, which would increase take-home pay