 Congressman
investigates federal prison industries
Jon Brandt, press secretary for Congressman
Pete Hoekstra, released a Media Advisory on September 22, 2000
informing of a Hearing to be held on September 26th to investigate
Federal Prison Industries' commercial sales. Claims that the
Federal Prison Industries program is diverting used computers
and other materials from inner city and rural schools to be sold
commercially were the subjects of this hearing
The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Education
and the Workforce Committee scheduled itself to meet on the topic:
"Federal Prison Industries -  Diverting
Federal Property from the Computers for Learning and other programs
to expand FPI's commercial sales." Hoekstra, R-Holland,
chairs the subcommittee. Hoekstra said the subcommittee has received
reports that an FPI program based in Florida has been selling
reconditioned government computers in competition with private-sector
businesses.
Clinton Administration policy gives priority
for decommissioned government computers to be donated to inner
city and rural schools to help bridge the so-called "Digital
Divide." FPI is a government-sponsored corporation that
uses federal prisoners to produce goods that may only be sold
to federal agencies.
Federal law prohibits the products of inmate
labor from being sold on the open market. However, FPI spokesmen
claim that a 1992 finding allows it to sell commercial services
and has begun to aggressively expand its business as a federal
subcontractor.
"Whether reconditioning computers and
selling them is a service or a product seems to be a matter of
contention," said Hoekstra, who is the primary sponsor of
a bill (H.R. 2551) that would reform the FPI program. The bill
currently has the bipartisan support of 127 House members.
Among the scheduled hearing witnesses were:
Victor Arnold-Vic - Property Management Division - Federal Supply
Service, Jasper Jones - Computers for Youth and Families - Philadelphia,
Pa., Bill Wilson - Nat'l Assn. of State Agencies for Surplus
Property, Randall K. Smith - Alpha Omega Computer Solutions -
Cottondale, Fla., Andrew J. Corbin - Technical Services Laboratory,
Inc. - Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Sherry Low - Defense Reutilization
& Marketing - Defense Logistics Agency
FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact: Jon Brandt,
press secretary (202) 225-4928 or (202) 225-4401 work (703) 998-0846
home E-mail: jon.brandt@mail.house.gov
Visit the congressman's website at www.house.gov/hoekstra
|
