Congress approves $356M to expand federal penitentiary in Leavenworth

Kansas City Business Journal | Andrew Vaupel

The federal penitentiary in Leavenworth is set to receive $356 million to construct a new Federal Correctional Institute and a satellite Federal Prison Camp.

According to a Monday release from U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran's office, Congress appropriated $175 million for the project in fiscal year 2019 and another $181 million in fiscal year 2020, which is set to end on Sept. 30.

"After nearly 20 years of preparation, I am pleased this project is now fully funded and I look forward to breaking ground in the near future," Sen. Moran (R-Kan.), who is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, said in the release. "This project will bring the Leavenworth prison system into the 21st century, while also providing hundreds of jobs during the multi-year construction of the facilities. At a time when federal prisons are closing around the country, this project will secure jobs for Kansans for decades."

The new facilities will replace older buildings at the U.S. Penitentiary and help modernize the Leavenworth prison system. The project will be built on land owned by the Bureau of Prisons, which is conducting an environmental impact study before construction can begin.