# 119-hr-7247: Prison Libraries Act of 2026

119-hr-7247, Prison Libraries Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] (D-MO); status introduced (as of 2026-10-24).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7247
- As of: 2026-10-24
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-7247
- Congress: 119
- Title: Prison Libraries Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-01-27
- Sponsor: Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] (D-MO)
- Cosponsors: 42
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-24

## Summary

**Creates a federal grant program, run by the Attorney General, to bring library services into correctional facilities and support reintegration, education, and reduced recidivism.** This bill would fund prison libraries, digital access, and classroom-style programming to expand literacy, job skills, and post-secondary opportunities for incarcerated people. - Incarcerated people: Grants would provide free access to physical books, ebooks, audiobooks, computers, internet, educational classes, and literacy or artistic programming. Fees for those services would be prohibited. - States and territories: Eligible applicants must submit a plan, show facility population data, and prove an existing or planned physical library. Grants cover staffing, modern materials, safer and more welcoming infrastructure, digital access, and partnerships with public libraries; initial terms are one year and may be renewed annually for up to six years. - Education and outcomes: The Attorney General must prioritize projects that add post-secondary components and show measurable impacts such as literacy gains and expanded post-release employment. Grantees must report activity and outcome data and follow library-management standards. *Authorizes $10.0 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2031 for the grant program, increasing federal spending by up to $60.0 million over that period.*

## Cosponsors (42)

- Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2] (D-LA), 2026-10-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1] (D-MO), 2026-10-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11] (D-OH), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4] (D-NC), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7] (D-AL), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20] (D-FL), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13] (D-GA), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1] (D-HI), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] (D-IL), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6] (D-LA), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2] (D-MS), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10] (D-NJ), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3] (D-PA), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12] (D-PA), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30] (D-TX), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32] (D-TX), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] (D-WA), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6] (D-WA), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] (R-NE), 2026-03-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6] (D-CA), 2026-03-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5] (D-CT), 2026-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] (D-WI), 2026-04-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large] (D-DE), 2026-04-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (D-MA), 2026-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-CA), 2026-06-03T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44] (D-CA), 2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL), 2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25] (D-CA), 2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] (D-MA), 2026-06-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4] (D-WI), 2026-06-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2026-06-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1] (D-OR), 2026-06-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5] (D-MN), 2026-06-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6] (D-NJ), 2026-07-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2] (D-WA), 2026-07-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (D-MA), 2026-07-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1] (D-IL), 2026-07-20T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Grants to expand prison libraries: benefit, low. If enacted, this bill would create a federal grant program run by the Attorney General to fund library services for people in prison. It would authorize $10 million per year for each fiscal year 2026 through 2031 and require the program be set up within one year after enactment. States and U.S. ter…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-2550: Protect America's Workforce Act
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act
- 119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-7247 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7247)

## Related
- [119-hr-2550: Protect America's Workforce Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2550)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5390)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1589)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7247 (as of 2026-10-24).