S. 736 – Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated June 11, 2026 at 3:20 AM UTC

The Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act raises the criminal penalty for supplying a telephone to inmates in federal correctional facilities. It also directs the Bureau of Prisons to examine and improve its policies on contraband objects within a year of the law’s passage. The changes affect anyone who provides, attempts to provide, or possesses a prohibited phone for use by prisoners, as well as prison staff and administrators.

Key Provisions

Amends 18 U.S.C. §1791(b) to add a new penalty: up to two years in prison (or both imprisonment and a fine) for the specific act of providing a phone to an inmate, as defined in subsection (d)(1)(F).
Re‑numbers existing penalty paragraphs to accommodate the new provision and clarifies that the same increased penalty applies to violations covered by subsection (a)(2).
Requires the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to review, within one year, all policies related to inmates who make, possess, obtain, or try to obtain prohibited objects (including phones) and to update those policies to better protect both inmates and staff.

Legislative Activity

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8 earlier actions

HouseFloor Latest Action

Held at the desk.

June 15, 2026 • 10:49 AM

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

February 26, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

February 26, 2025

SenateCommittee

Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Judiciary Committee

May 14, 2026

SenateCommittee

Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley without amendment. Without written report.

Judiciary Committee

May 19, 2026

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 410.

May 19, 2026

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S2723, S2726; text: CR S2726)

June 10, 2026

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

June 12, 2026

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

June 15, 2026 • 10:32 AM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

June 15, 2026 • 10:49 AM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 736 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. John CornynR-TX · Jun 10, 2026

Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc: Calendar No. 410, S. 736; Calendar No. 411, S. 825; Calendar No. 412,…

Sen. John CornynR-TX · Jun 10, 2026

Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the measures en bloc. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Bill Text

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Engrossed in SenateIssued June 10, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 736

AN ACT

To increase the penalty for prohibited provision of a phone in a correctional facility, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act.

2.

Prohibited provision of a phone

Section 1791(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively;

(2)

by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:

(4)

in the case of a violation of subsection (a)(1), imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or both, if the object is specified in subsection (d)(1)(F) of this section;

; and

(3)

in paragraph (5), as so redesignated, by inserting , in the case of a violation of subsection (a)(2), before (d)(1)(F).

3.

Review of policies

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall—

(1)

conduct a review of the policies of the Bureau of Prisons pertaining to inmates who make, possess, obtain, or attempt to make or obtain a prohibited object, as defined in section 1791(d)(1) of title 18, United States Code; and

(2)

update those policies as needed to improve protections for incarcerated individuals and staff.

Passed the Senate June 10, 2026.

Secretary