Norton Introduces Bill Requiring BOP to Place D.C. Residents Serving Sentences for D.C. Code Felonies Within 250 Miles of D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced her bill to require the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to place D.C. residents serving sentences for D.C. Code felonies in BOP facilities within 250 miles of D.C. Under the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997, individuals serving sentences for D.C. Code felonies are in BOP custody. 

“More than 2,000 D.C. residents are currently serving sentences for D.C. Code felonies in BOP facilities across the country. Many are thousands of miles from their support systems," Norton said. "My bill would help D.C. residents in BOP custody maintain relationships with their families and support networks, increasing the likelihood of successfully reentering society once they've completed their sentences."

Norton said that while Congress will not provide funding to BOP to build a new facility for D.C. residents serving sentences for D.C. Code felonies, there are more than enough existing BOP facilities within 250 miles of D.C. to house all such D.C. residents. Under Norton's bill, a D.C. resident who is already in a BOP facility at the time of enactment would be allowed to decline a transfer from the individual's current facility, and BOP would have authority to place a D.C. resident more than 250 miles outside of D.C. if it were in the best interest of the individual or BOP.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

on the Introduction of

the Improving Reentry for District of Columbia Residents

in the Bureau of Prisons Act of 2025

April 24, 2025

Today, I introduce the Improving Reentry for District of Columbia Residents in the Bureau of Prisons Act of 2025.  This bill would require the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to place D.C. residents serving sentences for D.C. Code felonies in BOP facilities within 250 miles of D.C.  Under the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997, individuals serving sentences for D.C. Code felonies are in BOP custody.

Currently, more than 2,000 D.C. residents are serving sentences for D.C. Code felonies, and they are in BOP facilities across the United States.  While Congress will not provide funding to BOP to build a new facility for these D.C. residents, there are more than enough existing BOP facilities within 250 miles of D.C. to house all these D.C. residents.  Under this bill, BOP could place a D.C. resident outside 250 miles upon the request or consent of a resident, and BOP could place a D.C. resident outside 250 miles without consent in extraordinary circumstances.

This bill would help D.C. residents in BOP maintain relationships with family and support networks and reenter the community after prison.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

###