Senators Byrd and Rockefeller Urge Withdrawal of Plan to Cancel Funding

Senators Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W. Va. , wrote to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Thursday afternoon, urging him and the Bush Administration to withdraw its plan to cancel funding for the construction of the federal prison in McDowell County .

Byrd and Rockefeller have worked together to successfully draw the attention of the federal Bureau of Prisons to the opportunities in Southern West Virginia, capped by the Bureau's selection of the Indian Ridge Industrial Park as the site for a new 1,280 bed medium security prison near the McDowell County-Wyoming County line.

Text of the Senators' letter is below:

April 20, 2006

The Honorable Alberto R. Gonzales
Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW Washington , D 20530-0001

Dear Attorney General Gonzales:

We write today to protest the Bush Administration's proposed $142 million cancellation of construction funds for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Such a cancellation would have the real-world effect of halting work on the much needed federal prison in McDowell County , West Virginia .

You, better than most, understand the need for increasing prison space, given the overcrowding of federal prison facilities. Such overcrowding is forcing these facilities to operate at more than 35 percent above capacity. The unfortunate reality is that the United States will need far more capacity in the federal prison system, not less.

With that in mind, we are frustrated that the Bush Administration would seek to cancel the construction funds that may affect proceeding with a 1,280 bed prison that has been in the planning and review process for many years. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has long been searching for a viable site in the mid-Atlantic region, and found that site at the Indian Ridge Industrial Park near the McDowell County-Wyoming County line in West Virginia . The Bureau's final Record of Decision was issued in August 2005, clearing the way for the federal government to proceed. Now, as the BOP is nearing the end of the procurement process and is conducting the final evaluation of proposals submitted by contractors interested in designing and building the facility, the Administration wants to withdraw funding already appropriated by the Congress and signed into law. There is no logic in canceling funds for such projects that will serve the nations interest.

Mr. Attorney General, the State of West Virginia has proved that it knows how to successfully manage federal correctional facilities. The Federal Correctional Institutions at Alderson, Beckley , Glenville, and Morgantown and the penitentiary at Hazelton have established themselves as models for other BOP facilities. We have no doubt that the McDowell County prison would rise to that standard and meet the needs of the nation's justice system.

We respectfully urge the Bush Administration to withdraw its proposal including in the Fiscal Year 2007 budget, to cancel new construction funding that had been preciously appropriated, and to release these funds immediately. Failure to do so could negatively affect proceeding with critically needed federal prison facilities in West Virginia and New Hampshire .

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your favorable response.

Sincerely,

The Honorable Robert C. Byrd
The Honorable Jay Rockefeller