HOLLAND (WHTC) — U.S. 2nd District Rep. Bill Huizenga-R, Zeeland, has sponsored a bill to force the federal prison industry system, known as UNICOR, to compete with private businesses..
UNICOR, which uses 12,000 prisoners as workers, is mandated to get some federal contracts, which are not offered to private businesses. In some cases, UNICOR is allowed access to other federal contracts reserved for small businesses.
UNICOR, founded in 1934, is a self-funded operation which pays prisoners in 81 factorylike settings $1.15 per hour to produce products and services for sale.
Huizenga said in a statement emailed to the media on Wednesday that UNICOR undermines the free-market system and reduces available jobs for “law-abiding citizens are looking for work.”
A bill he cosponsored, HR 4671, would eliminate UNICOR’s federal contract mandate and prevent UNICOR from bidding on small business contracts.
UNICOR operates 81 facilities including one in Milan, Michigan, about 40 miles outside of Detroit. The Milan factory produces metal furniture and other metal speciality items, employing 31 civilians and about 400 inmates.
The bill also aims to protect sensitive and personal information from being handled by criminals. Since 2003, UNICOR states on its website, inmates have been barred from accessing any type of personal information, including credit cards, medical records and social security numbers.
But at least one more-recent databreach affecting millions of federal employees made public last year was linked to UNICOR.
Huizenga also wants to require the government to study whether or not prison-factory work helps parolees live more law-abiding lives.
The short title for HR 4671 is “The Small Business Protection Act.”
