Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015
Public Law 114-133 · S. 238 · 114th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Mar 9, 2016 · Crime and Law Enforcement
Sponsor: Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA)
Cosponsors (9): Sen. Bob Casey, Sen. Joe Manchin,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the federal criminal code to require the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to issue oleoresin capsicum spray (i.e., pepper spray) to officers and employees who respond to emergency situations at high-security, medium-security, and administrative facilities.
Officers and employees may use pepper spray to reduce violent acts by prisoners and visitors.
An officer of employee must complete a training course prior to receiving pepper spray and annually thereafter on its use.
(Sec. 3) The Government Accountability Office must: (1) evaluate the effect of issuing pepper spray on reducing crime and violence in high-security, medium-security, and administrative facilities; (2) evaluate the advisability of issuing pepper spray at low- or minimum-security facilities; and (3) recommend safety improvements for BOP officers and employees.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
4 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 472Identical bill
Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015
H.R. 759Related bill
Corrections and Recidivism Reduction Act of 2016
S. 467Related bill
Corrections Oversight, Recidivism Reduction, and Eliminating Costs for Taxpayers In Our National System Act of 2015
S. 2123Related bill
Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Mar 9, 2016Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 114-133.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Mar 1, 2016FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Feb 24, 2016FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 238.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Goodlatte moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Jan 15, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
- Dec 16, 2015FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Jan 22, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.