HR7247Referred to Committee
Prison Libraries Act of 2026
Introduced
In Committee
3
Passed One Chamber4
Passed Both5
Signed into Law119th
Congress
2026-01-27
Introduced
27
Cosponsors
HR
ⓘType
Sponsor
Emanuel Cleaver
Democrat · MO · Representative
Votes with party: 99.1% (532 recorded votes)
Full profile: /officials/C001061
Source: Congress.gov · FEC
Cosponsors (27)
Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.
- Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS-2)Original· 2026-01-27
- Cleo Fields (D-LA-6)Original· 2026-01-27
- David Scott (D-GA-13)Original· 2026-01-27
- Dwight Evans (D-PA-3)Original· 2026-01-27
- Ed Case (D-HI-1)Original· 2026-01-27
- Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)Original· 2026-01-27
- Emily Randall (D-WA-6)Original· 2026-01-27
- Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA-4)Original· 2026-01-27
- Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30)Original· 2026-01-27
- Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL-4)Original· 2026-01-27
- Julie Johnson (D-TX-32)Original· 2026-01-27
- LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10)Original· 2026-01-27
- Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12)Original· 2026-01-27
- Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12)Original· 2026-01-27
- Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20)Original· 2026-01-27
- Shontel M. Brown (D-OH-11)Original· 2026-01-27
- Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13)Original· 2026-01-27
- Summer L. Lee (D-PA-12)Original· 2026-01-27
- Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA-1)Original· 2026-01-27
- Terri A. Sewell (D-AL-7)Original· 2026-01-27
- Valerie P. Foushee (D-NC-4)Original· 2026-01-27
- Ami Bera (D-CA-6)· 2026-03-17
- Don Bacon (R-NE-2)· 2026-03-17
- Jahana Hayes (D-CT-5)· 2026-03-24
- Mark Pocan (D-WI-2)· 2026-04-20
- Sarah McBride (D-DE)· 2026-04-20
- James P. McGovern (D-MA-2)· 2026-05-12
Latest Action
The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →
Committee Activity
Currently in
- House Committee on the JudiciaryReferred To · 2026-01-27
Previously
- Judiciary CommitteeReferred To · 2026-01-27
Plain-English Summary
This bill would require federal prisons to maintain and fund library services with books, educational materials, and legal resources for incarcerated people. The law aims to improve access to information that helps inmates prepare for release, pursue education, and understand their legal rights while serving their sentences.
AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.
Subjects
Crime and Law Enforcement
Full bill text is not yet cached locally.
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