Senators Marsha Blackburn and Tom Cotton introduced legislation to double the penalty for assaulting federal correctional officers.
Introduce and support legislation to double the penalty for assaulting federal correctional officers.
Occurrences
Evidence
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
Last action listed on April 15, 2026: Mrs. Blackburn (for herself and Mr. Cotton) introduced the bill, which was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. The bill title and text state it is to increase criminal penalties for assaulting a Bureau of Prisons correctional officer.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
GovInfo's official introduced-version record for S. 4305, the Safer Prisons Act of 2026, identifies the measure introduced in the 119th Congress. The bill text would increase punishment for assaulting Bureau of Prisons correctional officers by making the applicable punishment twice the otherwise provided penalty.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
The official Congress.gov bill record for S. 4305 lists the Safer Prisons Act of 2026 as introduced on April 15, 2026, with Sen. Marsha Blackburn as a sponsor and referral to the Senate Judiciary Committee after introduction.
Assessments
The promise was to introduce and support legislation, not necessarily to secure enactment. During Blackburn's current Senate term, she introduced S. 4305, the Safer Prisons Act of 2026, which would double the applicable penalties for assaulting Bureau of Prisons correctional officers. Referral to committee without passage does not defeat fulfillment because the pledged action was legislative introduction/support.
Blackburn personally introduced S. 4305, the Safer Prisons Act of 2026, during her current Senate term with Sen. Cotton. The bill directly matches the promise because it would increase criminal penalties for assaulting Bureau of Prisons correctional officers. The promise was framed as introducing and supporting legislation, not securing enactment, so introduction and referral to committee satisfies the stated commitment even though the bill had not passed as of the cited April 15, 2026 action.