On Friday, May 6, Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) introduced the Inmate Financial Accountability Taskforce Act (H.R. 7680), which would establish a joint task force to develop a strategic plan to improve coordination with federal and state agencies to improve oversight and debt collection of its Inmate Trust Fund Accounts. FMA Chapter 373 (U.S. Marshals Service) worked with Rep. Gooden and his staff on the bill, focused on how Bureau of Prisons (BOP) policies deny victims' rights and child support, a topic Chapter 373 raised nearly eight years ago.

Jason Wojdylo, Vice-President for Law Enforcement Operations of the U.S. Marshals Service Chapter at FMA, was quoted in Rep. Gooden’s press release upon introduction. Wojdylo said, “We endorse this commonsense legislation that will create a task force to significantly improve the noble effort to collect duly ordered, court-imposed restitution and child support from federal inmates. Victims’ rights must no longer be flaunted by inmates from behind bars, prolonging unnecessary pain and suffering. Both sides of the aisle should quickly sign on to this Bill as co-sponsors. In the meantime, we are grateful for Congressman Gooden’s leadership on this issue.”

To read Chapter 373’s full statement on the bill, please click here.

To follow the progress of H.R. 7680, please click here.