For Immediate Release --- November 10, 2003

 

Contact:       

Curt Sumner, ACSM Executive Director - 240-632-9716

Laurence Socci, Government Affairs - 202-262-5843

 

ACSM Shares in Federal Prison Industries Legislation Victory.

 

ACSM shared in a victory for business when Members of Congress voted to approve H.R. 1829, the Hoekstra-Frank-Collins-Maloney-Sensenbrenner-Conyers Federal Prison Industries Competition in Contracting of 2003. The House of Representatives passed the legislation, which reforms the Federal Prison Industries (FPI), by a vote of 350 to 65.

 

ACSM has worked hard in support of the legislation and encourages the Senate to pass its similar version of FPI reform, S. 346. During its Lobby Day in June 2003, ACSM met with several key Representatives and Senators and discussed the House and Senate versions of the FPI reform legislation. ACSM has long been concerned that Federal Prison Industries is expanding into geospatial and mapping services.

 

The legislation will end FPI’s monopoly power in the Federal marketplace. Federal customers will no longer be forced to accept products at a price set by FPI, and customers will be free to choose products and services that best suit their needs.

 

The bill also provides FPI with new education and training resources to allow prison workers to acquire skills that will be useful upon release.

 

ACSM thanks Members of the House of Representatives, and the hundreds of companies and organizations who worked hard for the passage of this legislation.