releases: http://toomey.senate.gov?p=news&id=1657
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://toomey.senate.gov?p=news&id=1657 | Senate Passes Toomey, Casey Bipartisan Bill to Protect Federal Correctional Officers | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | PA | Patrick Toomey | T000461 | toomey.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today the Senate acted to ensure federal correctional officers will be safer at work, passing bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.). The Senate passed the Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act, which ensures that federal correctional officers in high- and medium- security prisons are given non-lethal pepper spray for self-defense. The bill also instructs the Government Accountability Office to evaluate issuing pepper spray to guards in minimum or low-security penal facilities. Prior to Senator Toomey's and Casey's efforts, federal correctional officers were sometimes placed on duty completely unarmed-without any defensive gear or weapons, even non-lethal ones. Officer Eric Williams of the U.S. Penitentiary Canaan in Waymart, Pa. paid the price for this policy. In February 2013, the 34 year-old officer was working alone in a housing unit of 125 inmates. He carried only a radio, handcuffs, and keys. A gang member, who was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder, killed Officer Williams-beating him savagely enough to crush his skull and stabbing him with a prison-made weapon 129 times. "I am extremely pleased that the Senate has acted to protect our federal correctional officers by passing bipartisan legislation guaranteeing them the use of non-lethal pepper spray," said Sen. Toomey. "It is shocking that Bureau of Prison policy previously allowed guards to be placed on duty completely unarmed or without any defensive gear-a policy that led to the death of Officer Eric Williams in Wayne County, Pa. This victory was made possible by the tireless efforts of Eric Williams' parents, Don and Jean Williams, who turned their family tragedy into a national effort to protect other officers." "We have an obligation to keep safe the men and women who serve in our correctional facilities," said Sen. Casey. "The tragic murder of Eric Williams illustrates the risks they take every day just by going to work. It's a service to the memory of C.O. Williams and a tribute to the dedicated advocacy of his family that the Senate acted today to ensure that staff in the most dangerous prisons will permanently have access to a non-lethal means of self-protection." Pennsylvania is home to seven federally operated prison facilities and thousands of federal corrections officers. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |