House Reps Reintroduce Prison Libraries Act

Jan 28, 2026

Democratic U.S. House Reps. Emanuel Cleaver II of Missouri, Shontel Brown of Ohio, and Valerie Foushee of North Carolina reintroduced the Prison Libraries Act on January 27. The bill, originally proposed in 2023, would establish a competitive grant program within the Department of Justice and would require the authorization of $10 million per year through 2031. Funds would go toward establishing new libraries, updating resources, and providing continuing education for incarcerated people. 

American Library Association president Sam Helmick said ALA endorses the bill, saying that it “would expand educational services and provide incarcerated individuals with resources to build skills for employment and enable them to return to their communities better equipped for life after incarceration.”

For more on the social and economic benefits of prison libraries, ALA directed interested readers to its June 2025 report, Investing in Prison Libraries: A Cost-Effective Path to Safer Communities and Second Chances.

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