Congressman Eric Sorensen is backing new bipartisan legislation aimed at boosting pay for federal correctional officers, including those in Illinois prisons. The Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act of 2026 would raise base pay by 35 percent for eligible staff, tackling chronic staffing shortages, high turnover, and heavy overtime. Supporters say the measure is essential to recruit and retain skilled officers and improve safety inside federal facilities. The proposed pay increase would count toward retirement and other benefits, with a review in five years to measure its impact on staffing and safety. The bill now heads to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
“Federal correctional officers do one of the toughest jobs in public service, and they deserve pay that reflects the risks they take and the responsibilities they carry,” said Congressman Sorensen. “This bill supports the officers who keep our communities safe while strengthening staffing and safety inside our federal prisons.”
“Retention isn’t just about keeping staff—it’s about valuing the people who show up, day after day, to do the hard work that keeps our institution running. Staffing has been a critical issue for us from the beginning,” said Jon Zumkehr, President, AFGE 4070. “We’re losing our people to other agencies simply because of pay, and that gap makes it harder every year to keep good people in these jobs. This bill is needed to retain the staff at Thomson and around the Federal Bureau of Prisons.”
“This bill will make our pay competitive, allowing us to recruit new staff, retain our qualified staff, and finally put an end to our heavy reliance on augmentation,” said Sam Metcalf, Local 0701.