Federal Prisons Accountability Act of 2025

The Federal Prisons Accountability Act of 2025 would change how the Director of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is selected and how long they can serve. Currently, the Director is appointed within the Department of Justice (DOJ) and serves under the Attorney General without Senate confirmation. This bill would require the Director to be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate (i.e., Senate-confirmed) and would place the Director in a fixed 10-year term, with no option for renewal. It also preserves a transition provision allowing the current Director to continue serving for up to three months after enactment. The bill keeps the Director reporting to the Attorney General and strengthens the appointment process to increase accountability for a high-budget, high-stakes agency responsible for hundreds of facilities, tens of thousands of staff, and a large inmate population. The act would apply to appointments made on or after the date of enactment. It also includes a “rule of construction” confirming that the President may still appoint the current Director under the amended framework, and it highlights the Bureau’s large budget and personnel as justification for greater Senate involvement in leadership selection.