releases: https://www.lankford.senate.gov/news/press-releases/lankford-successful-in-push-to-prevent-contraband-cellphones-in-prisons
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.lankford.senate.gov/news/press-releases/lankford-successful-in-push-to-prevent-contraband-cellphones-in-prisons | Lankford Successful in Push to Prevent Contraband Cellphones in Prisons | 2020-11-13 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Republican | House | OK | James Lankford | L000575 | www.lankford.senate.gov | legacy | 11.13.20 Lankford Successful in Push to Prevent Contraband Cellphones in Prisons OKLAHOMA CITY, OKSenator James Lankford announced his request for funding of micro-jamming technology and managed-access systems in federal prisons to prevent the use of contraband cell phones in prisons was included in the Senate's Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) appropriations bills. In September, Congress passedaContinuing Resolution to fund the government at current levelsthrough December 11, 2020. On Tuesday,the Senate Appropriations Committeereleased all 12 funding bills. Just this week, theDepartment of Justice announceda federal grand jury indictment of an inmate on an alleged murder-for-hire plot using a contraband phone. Across the US there is rampant use of contraband cell phones, being used for criminal activity both inside and outside of prisons.Our communities are less safe because of cell phones in prisons, but the good news is, there is a solution, said Lankford. The inclusion of aid in this year's funding bills is critical to providing federal prisons with the necessary technology to jam the signals of these cell phones. The funding is an important first step for wider use of micro-jamming technology for correctional facilities. I will continue to push on this issue until it's done the right way. Victims should not be harassed by their attacker from within a prison and our communities deserve safety and security. Specifically, theCommerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies FY21bill increased funding for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to cover the cost for micro-jammers and for managed-accesstechnology. The bill also directs the Department to submit a detailed plan for the deployment of complex jamming, which includes health and safety considerations. DOJ is also directed to ensure states are aware of funding opportunities for cell phone interdiction technology. TheFinancial Services and General Government (FSGG) FY21bill urges the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to coordinate federal testing of jamming with stakeholders. Lankford serves on the FSGG Subcommittee. Lankford joined his colleagues in a letter to the FCC in September of 2020 to address the rampant use of contraband devices in federal, state, and local prisons, which are used to commit crimes outside of prison. In March,Lankford pressed the FCC Chairmanduring a budget hearing on the agency's plans to address this serious issue. The hearing came after theFCC announced its commitment to reduce contraband cell phonesin state prisons as part of their strategic goals. Federal law currently does not allow state prisons to jam cellphones. In 2018, Oklahoma state prisons confiscated 7,518 cellphones from inmates. Lankford has been pushing for a change in federal law that will allow states to use jamming technology to prevent the use of contraband cellphones in prisons. He first raised the issuepubliclyduring a floor speechand pointed to specific examples of how contraband cellphones within prisons were used to conduct crime outside of the prison.He supportedOklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt's executive orderon the use of contraband cellphones, which came after an outbreak of prison riots that left one inmate dead and several injured. In December 2019, Lankford supported a funding billthat required a report on a costestimate to fund testing of cellphone jamming for state prisons. Lankford applauded the FCC's inclusion of language in the budget proposal that would help prevent the use of contraband cellphones in state prisons. ### Print Email Tweet Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |