Press Releases

BOSSIER CITY, LA – U.S. Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04) and Senators John Kennedy (R-LA) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) sent a letter to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) urging that the agency take decisive action to address the COVID-19 outbreak at the Federal Correctional Institution in Oakdale, La. The letter seeks answers to specific questions regarding BOP’s plans to mitigate the spread of COVD-19 to inmates, officers and staffers.

“We recognize these are challenging times for the Bureau of Prisons, but the situation at Oakdale FCI is unacceptable. The BOP must take decisive action to protect the health and safety of the staff, officers, prison population and surrounding community,” said Johnson. “I want to thank Senator Cassidy and Senator Kennedy for joining me in this effort. We look forward to the BOP’s prompt response.”

“What goes on at this federal prison affects inmates, staff and the broader Oakdale community. We need answers about what happened in Oakdale and how the Bureau of Prisons is going to mitigate this outbreak,” said Kennedy.

“We must contain coronavirus wherever we find it. This is for the safety of the support staff, guards, law enforcement, their families and all others concerned in Oakdale. Our letter seeks more information on how the Bureau of Prisons is working to that end, ” said Cassidy.

The signed letter can be viewed here. The text of the letter can be viewed below.

***

April 7, 2020

Mr. Michael Carvajal
Director
Federal Bureau of Prisons
320 First St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20534

Dear Mr. Carvajal,

We write to you today concerning the outbreak of COVID-19 at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Oakdale, Louisiana. 

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 began, the United States has faced unprecedented odds in combating this pandemic. While this virus has unfortunately caught many people off guard, we fear that is especially true for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Since this pandemic began, numerous staff and inmates at FCI Oakdale have contracted COVID-19, and sadly, more continue to test positive each day. As you work hard to contain the spread of this virus via various measures, we ask you to take immediate action at FCI Oakdale.

Accordingly, we request information on the following:

1. What procedures are in place to provide immediate protection to the staff and their families from the outbreak of COVID-19 at FCI Oakdale?
2. Given the spread of COVID-19 at FCI Oakdale is not contained, what is being done to combat the spread and mitigate its effects?
3. What is Bureau of Prisons currently doing to protect the surrounding community from the outbreak of COVID-19 at FCI Oakdale?
4. How are FCI Oakdale and the Federal Bureau of Prisons working with hospitals that care for its sick inmates, including those infected with coronavirus, to ensure those hospitals are not overwhelmed with coronavirus-infected inmates with accompanying guards; and that other patients, staffers and visitors aren’t infected by those inmates and guards?
5. Will the Federal Bureau of Prisons halt all new transfers to FCI Oakdale for the duration of the pandemic, given the uncertainty as to whether those transferred inmates are free of coronavirus? If not, why not?
6. Upon the early release of inmates, what notification is given to victims and local law enforcement?
7. Please detail how the Bureau of Prisons is monitoring inmates who have been released early without electronic monitors.

As you are aware, COVID-19 is moving at an alarming speed in our country so time is of the essence. We respectfully urge you to act in an expeditious manner to stop the spread and continue mitigating the risk to staff and the community at FCI Oakdale. We stand ready to provide whatever assistance we can to ensure our men and women on the front lines are protected.

Sincerely,

Mike Johnson
Member of Congress

John Kennedy
Senator

Bill Cassidy, M.D.
Senator