Valerie Foushee (D-NC)
Stop Prison Price Gouging Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, titled the "Stop Prison Price Gouging Act of 2026," directs the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to regulate the cost of goods sold in prison commissaries. It mandates that prices for these goods cannot exceed the fair market value within the state where the facility is located. The Director must use competitive bidding for contracts and is prohibited from entering into contracts that include revenue sharing. To ensure compliance, the Director must conduct monthly price reviews and submit annual reports to Congress for each facility. Additionally, the Comptroller General is tasked with performing annual audits of each facility.
Yes
- Scored +7
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill enhances transparency by requiring annual reports to Congress regarding commissary pricing and contracts.
- Scored +5
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill increases federal oversight of Bureau of Prisons pricing through mandatory reviews and audits.
- Scored +5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill protects consumers within the prison system by regulating prices and requiring competitive bidding.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Price Caps on Goods: The Director must set prices for commissary goods at a level not greater than the fair market value in the state where the facility is located, which could prevent excessive costs for incarcerated individuals (Section 2(a)).
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Competitive Bidding: By requiring a competitive bidding process for contracts, the bill aims to ensure more transparent and potentially more cost-effective procurement of goods (Section 2(b)(1)(A)).
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Elimination of Revenue Sharing: The bill prohibits contracts that provide for revenue sharing, which prevents the Bureau of Prisons from profiting directly from the sale of these goods through contract terms (Section 2(b)(1)(B)).
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Increased Accountability and Oversight: The requirement for monthly price reviews, annual reports to Congress, and annual audits by the Comptroller General provides mechanisms to ensure that price requirements are being met (Sections 2(b)(2), 2(c), and 2(d)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly stated in the text provided.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill enhances transparency by requiring annual reports to Congress regarding commissary pricing and contracts. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill increases federal oversight of Bureau of Prisons pricing through mandatory reviews and audits.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill protects consumers within the prison system by regulating prices and requiring competitive bidding.
- 7/23/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in House