WASHINGTON — A bipartisan bill that would increase base pay for federal correctional officers by 35% is gaining organized labor support as staffing shortages continue to strain Bureau of Prisons facilities nationwide.
The Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act of 2026 aims to boost recruitment and retention by raising pay for eligible BOP employees who work in custodial settings with direct inmate contact.
The proposal, first introduced earlier this year, would make the 35% increase part of officers’ basic pay — meaning it would count toward retirement and other federal benefits.
Union leaders say pay gap is driving officers away
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents many federal correctional officers, voiced support for the legislation, pointing to ongoing retention struggles.
“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,” Jon Zumkehr, president of AFGE Local 4070, said in a statement. “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.”
Sam Metcalf, president of AFGE Local 0701, said higher wages are necessary to stabilize the workforce and reduce the heavy use of augmentation — a practice in which non-custody staff are reassigned to cover correctional officer posts.
“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,” Metcalf said.
Staffing shortages across BOP facilities have led to excessive mandatory overtime, high turnover and safety concerns raised by both officers and lawmakers, supporters of the bill said.
What the bill would do
The Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act of 2026 would:
- Provide a 35% base pay increase for eligible BOP employees working in custodial roles with direct inmate contact
- Ensure the increase counts as basic pay for retirement and other federal benefits
- Require a five-year review to evaluate whether the pay increase improves recruitment, retention and workplace safety, and reduces excessive overtime
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
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