PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 5386: Fair Access and Individual Responsibilities Act of 2004

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 5386: Fair Access and Individual Responsibilities Act of 2004

108th Congress · introduced 2004-11-18 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2004-11-18 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-14] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Fair Access and Individual Responsibilities Act of 2004

Plain summary

Fair Access and Individual Responsibilities Act of 2004 - Amends the Federal criminal code to double the number of members of the board of directors of Federal Prison Industries (FPI), provide for their appointment by the Attorney General, and designate the Director of the Bureau of Prisons as FPI's chief executive officer. Directs the Attorney General to appoint an independent review panel to advise the board regarding the type and quantity of products to be produced and conditions of hire and work. Makes the Attorney General responsible for protecting Federal inmate participation rights and for facilitating their ability to meet financial responsibilities through successful competitive participation in the U.S. economy. Designates prison industries as Class A (established as of December 31, 2002), B (established on or after January 1, 2005, and carried out by a competitive, independent, taxpaying entity), C (carried out by a private entity located in a Federal correctional institution), and D (pilot industries created to test reform of inmate employment and prison industries) industries. Repeals (with an exception) requirements regarding the purchase of prison-made products by Federal departments on December 31, 2010. Authorizes the Attorney General to make matching grants to specified organizations to attract firms and create business entities in Federal and State correctional settings. Requires the Director to establish procedures to ensure that inmate workers have the right to join a labor organization and engage in collective bargaining. Directs the Attorney General to modify correctional practices to improve the attractiveness and efficiency of Federal correctional facilities to ensure maximum inmate employment at prevailing wages.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Fair Access and Individual Responsibilities Act of 2004

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-14] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong108-hr5386 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108