[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3655 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3655

   To amend title 18, United States Code, to reform Federal prisons.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 13, 1996

   Mr. Tate introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 18, United States Code, to reform Federal prisons.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND FINDINGS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Prison 
Reform Act of 1996''.
    (b) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
            (1) criminals have become an increasing threat to our 
        personal safety;
            (2) law-abiding citizens feel less secure and more afraid 
        because of the threat of crime, especially violent crime;
            (3) unless criminals face serious consequences for their 
        actions, they will continue to threaten our communities;
            (4) criminals should pay dearly for violating our laws and 
        threatening our communities;
            (5) Federal prisons must enforce real punishment by ending 
        the use of amenities, such as exercise equipment, cable 
        television, and pool tables; and
            (6) prison incarceration should focus on the development of 
        a meaningful work ethic through hard labor and stress the 
        importance of responsibility, self-control, discipline, and 
        respect for law abiding Americans.

SEC. 2. PRISON REFORM.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 301 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 4014. Federal prison standards
    ``(a) Effect of Outside Accreditation Standards.--Each Federal 
facility for the confinement of persons convicted of offenses against 
the United States shall insofar as practical observe the standards for 
prisoner living space and other prison conditions that are established 
by recognized prison accreditation agencies, but may fail to meet any 
such standards when, in the judgment of prison officials, overcrowding, 
financial strain, prison size, absence of on-site facilities, or other 
circumstances make it necessary to do so.
    ``(b) Specific Standards.--Each Federal prison shall observe the 
following rules:
            ``(1) Manual labor.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Prisoners shall spend a minimum 
                of 10 hours per day 6 days a week doing manual labor, 
                such as--
                            ``(i) trash collection along Federal 
                        highways and on Federal lands, including 
                        national parks;
                            ``(ii) unskilled manual labor, digging 
                        ditches, breaking rocks, manually cutting 
                        grass, or other menial work; or
                            ``(iii) whatever work is deemed necessary 
                        and appropriate at the discretion of the 
                        warden.
                    ``(B) Displacement.--Labor under this paragraph 
                shall not result in the displacement of privately 
                employed workers.
            ``(2) Chain gangs.--Chain gangs may be used to satisfy the 
        work requirement of paragraph (1) for minimum and low security 
        inmates, but in no case shall inmates currently or previously 
        sentenced for a crime of violence or a sex offense be eligible 
        for a chain gang to satisfy such requirement. For the purposes 
        of carrying out this paragraph, wardens or administrators of 
        the Federal system may handcuff, shackle, detain, or immobilize 
        inmates as necessary to protect the safety of prison personnel 
        and the public.
            ``(3) Nutrition.--Federal prisoners shall receive no more 
        than 3 meals per day. Each meal must not exceed minimum 
        nutritional guidelines required under the Constitution.
            ``(4) Exercise.--There shall be an area of appropriate size 
        for exercise, running, calisthenics, and related activities. 
        Machine exercise equipment, barbells, dumbbells, free weights, 
        treadmills, stairmasters, and other exercise equipment is 
        banned. All Federal prison athletic and body building equipment 
        shall be donated by the prison authorities to appropriate 
        public agencies, such as community schools or recreation 
        centers.
            ``(5) Media.--Media shall be limited by prison officials to 
        education, vocational training, and other matter that 
        emphasizes standards of morality, responsibility, self-control, 
        and respect for law abiding Americans.
            ``(6) Amenities.--Amenities, regardless of the source of 
        their financing, such as catered meals, feature films, lounges, 
        pool tables, hot plates, microwaves, and radios shall not be 
        provided.
    ``(c) Construction.--This section shall not be construed to permit 
any violation of the Constitution of the United States.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 301 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new item:

``4014. Federal prison standards.''.
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