Ted Lieu sponsors House bill compelling Bureau of Prisons to release annual disaster reports

The legislation authored by Rep. Ted Lieu in the U.S. House intends to reinforce preparedness and response measures for major disasters within the Bureau of Prisons, according to records from the U.S. Congress.

Identified as H.R.7111, the bill was introduced on Jan. 15, 2026 during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. Below is a summary based on the official text, with interpretive detail for clarity where needed.

Essentially, the proposed bill directs the Bureau of Prisons to deliver an annual report to Congress that summarizes disaster-related damages sustained by its facilities. The report would detail the extent of property damage after federally declared major disasters and provide data on injuries, access to services and hygiene for inmates and staff. The legislation also calls for information on early release decisions, visits, disability services and the state of educational programs in prisons. Beyond reporting, the Bureau must propose a corrective action agenda and submit any legislative recommendations for improving emergency readiness. The intent of the bill is to better equip the Bureau to manage disaster situations at correctional locations.

The bill was put forward by Rep. Ted Lieu (Democrat-CA-36th District) and is co-sponsored by Rep. Randy K. Sr. Weber (Republican-CA-14th District).

During the current congressional session, Rep. Lieu has submitted a total of 28 additional bills.

A comparable measure, S.3664, was introduced in the Senate on Jan. 15, 2026 and is designated as related by Congressional records to H.R.7111.

In Congress, nearly all bills may originate in either chamber, barring those related to revenue, which must come from the House. After a bill’s introduction, it moves into one or more committees for further vetting and revision, followed by debate and potential votes. If approved with identical text by both the House and Senate, legislation proceeds to the president for approval or veto. Congressional terms last two years, span two sessions, and are numbered sequentially. The legislative process and bill records are managed by Congress and published through Congress.gov.

Ted Lieu has represented California in Congress since Jan. 3, 2015, as a Democrat elected to the One Hundred Fourteenth and each of the five subsequent Congresses. His roles have also included terms on the Torrance City Council, California State Assembly, and State Senate, along with a campaign for California State Attorney General in 2010.

Lieu holds dual undergraduate degrees from Stanford University, earning both a B.A. and a B.S. in 1991, and earned his J.D. from Georgetown University in 1994. Following military service in the U.S. Air Force from 1995 to 1999 and continued reserve duty until 2021, he has experience as both a judicial clerk and a private attorney.

Information for this report was drawn from the U.S. Congress. The original source data is located here.