Durbin, Bustos: Continued Funding for Prison Activation in Omnibus Appropriations Bill is More Good News for Jobs, Economic Development in the Quad Cities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) today announced that the Omnibus Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2016 includes a level of funding for Bureau of Prisons that will allow for continued funding for the activation of the Thomson correctional facility in Thomson, Illinois. Though today’s bill does not detail how this funding will be spent, Durbin and Bustos expressed confidence that the funding for the Thomson facility’s activation remains a top priority for the Obama Administration. The bill must now be voted on in both chambers and signed into law by President Obama.
“The funding levels in today’s legislation show Congress’ continued commitment to supporting the Bureau of Prisons operations at Thomson Correctional Center,” said Durbin. “The activation of Thomson prison will not only help relieve overcrowding in America’s prison system, but it will also bring much-needed jobs and new economic opportunities to the surrounding communities. I will continue to work with Congresswoman Bustos to make certain that future funding is available. Every day the Obama Administration is making progress toward its goal of opening and operating the prison in a responsible and humane manner that protects the safety and rights of both staff and inmates.”
“By including funding that will allow for more than 200 hard working men and women at Thomson Correctional Center to keep doing their jobs, we're taking on the challenges facing our prison system while focusing on job creation in our community,” said Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. “While the inclusion of this funding is a step in the right direction, the full activation of Thomson will create over 1,000 jobs in our community while generating over $60 million worth of local economic activity, so our work is not finished.”