S 238 · 114th Congress 2015–2017, ended

Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015

Introduced Jan 22, 2015 Originated Senate Became Public Law 114-133 Sponsor Patrick J. Toomey R-PA

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Latest action · Mar 9, 2016 Became Public Law No: 114-133.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedJan 22, 2015
  2. Passed SenateDec 16, 2015
  3. Passed HouseFeb 24, 2016
  4. To the PresidentMar 1, 2016
  5. Became lawMar 9, 2016Public Law 114-133

Summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate passed version is repeated here.)

Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the federal criminal code to require the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to issue oleoresin capsicum spray (i.e., pepper spray) to officers and employees who respond to emergency situations at high-security, medium-security, and administrative facilities.

Officers and employees may use pepper spray to reduce violent acts by prisoners and visitors.

An officer of employee must complete a training course prior to receiving pepper spray and annually thereafter on its use. 

(Sec. 3) The Government Accountability Office must: (1) evaluate the effect of issuing pepper spray on reducing crime and violence in high-security, medium-security, and administrative facilities; (2) evaluate the advisability of issuing pepper spray at low- or minimum-security facilities; and (3) recommend safety improvements for BOP officers and employees.

Cosponsors 9

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 22, 2015 to Sep 22, 2015; 4 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
R-LADavid VitterOriginalJan 22, 2015
D-WVJoe Manchin IIIOriginalJan 22, 2015
R-TXJohn CornynOriginalJan 22, 2015
D-PARobert P. Casey Jr.OriginalJan 22, 2015
R-WVShelley Moore CapitoFeb 10, 2015
R-OKJames M. InhofeFeb 23, 2015
R-ILMark KirkJun 23, 2015
R-OKJames LankfordJul 21, 2015
R-KYMitch McConnellSep 22, 2015

Committees 2

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
SenateJudiciary Committee
Referred Jan 22, 2015Discharged Dec 16, 2015
HouseJudiciary Committee
Referred Dec 17, 2015
Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
Referred Jan 15, 2016

Actions 17

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Mar 9, 2016Signed by President.
  2. Mar 9, 2016Became Public Law No: 114-133.
  3. Mar 1, 2016Presented to President.
  4. Feb 24, 2016Mr. Goodlatte moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  5. Feb 24, 2016Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H865-869)
Show all 17 actions

In the Congressional Record 3

Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.

WhereIn the RecordMembersDate
HouseDebate and remarks H954Erik Paulsen R-MNFeb 26, 2016
HouseDebate and remarks H865–H869Text printed H865Bob Goodlatte R-VA, David B. McKinley R-WV, Lou Barletta R-PA, Sheila Jackson Lee D-TX, Tom Marino R-PAFeb 24, 2016
SenateDebate and remarks S8703Text printed S8703Patrick J. Toomey R-PA, Robert P. Casey Jr. D-PADec 16, 2015

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

CRS reports 6

Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.

Cite it 6

Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.

Related bills 4

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
S 467CORRECTIONS ActRelated billFeb 11, 2015
HR 472Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015Identical billFeb 19, 2015
HR 759Corrections and Recidivism Reduction Act of 2016Related billDec 23, 2016
S 2123Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015Related billOct 26, 2015

Titles 5

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to authorize the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to issue oleoresin capsicum spray to officers and employees of the Bureau of Prisons.
Short Titles as Introduced
Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015
Short Titles as Passed House
Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015
Short Titles as Passed Senate
Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015
Short Titles as Enacted
Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement.

Text 4

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. —Enrolled Bill
  2. Dec 16, 2015Referred in House
  3. Dec 16, 2015Engrossed in Senate
  4. Jan 22, 2015Introduced in Senate

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.