USP Thomson Local 4070

06/17/2026

Working with the Gray Matters Collective and AFGE District 7, we began holding roundtable discussions on su***de prevention for correctional officers and other first responders. Earlier this year, a correctional officer died by su***de on the I-74 bridge. Since then, we've partnered with the Gray Matters Collective to push for greater awareness and real solutions—whether that's installing call boxes, adding signage, or putting up netting.

We're grateful for Congressman Sorensen (IL-17) and the honest, straightforward conversation we shared. But talk alone isn’t enough. It’s time for state leaders on both sides of the Illinois-Iowa border to step up and take action. Our officers and first responders deserve more than just words—they deserve real support and real change.

06/12/2026

The Senate has passed S.736, the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act. introduced by Senator Grassley, with key support from Senators Durbin and Booker, the bill aims to crack down on the smuggling of cell phones into federal prisons. Other notable co-sponsors include Senator Cruz, Senator Cory Booker, and Senator Ashley Moody. It would make it a felony for either inmates or staff to bring in or possess a contraband cell phone inside a federal facility—a move designed to curb illicit communications and improve prison safety.

06/05/2026

WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE?
For the past thirteen years since the murder of my son, Eric, by an inmate at USP Canaan, I have worked side by side with the Council of Prison Locals to advance safety legislation for correctional officers at the federal, state, and county levels. Some of these efforts were successful, some were not, and several others remain pending.
Two of the officer safety measures we successfully helped pass were the Pepper Spray Bill, named in honor of my son Eric Williams, and the Gun Locker Bill, named for Osvaldo Albarati. Why did these bills succeed when others of equal importance, and with bipartisan cosponsors, failed to advance? You may or may not agree with my personal view, but in my experience, there was one clear difference between the bills that passed and those that did not.
The successful bills had more than legislators who simply supported them or agreed to serve as cosponsors—they had champions. Both the Pepper Spray Bill and the Gun Locker Bill were strongly championed by Senator Toomey, who has since returned to the private sector. Senator Bob Casey also served as a committed champion of the Pepper Spray Bill.
There is an important distinction between a supporter and a champion. A supporter may agree with a bill in principle. A champion pursues it with passion and determination. They make it a personal mission. They do not wait for progress to happen—they drive it forward.
The legislation to reinstate the Master Agreement by overriding the order that ended it, H.R. 2550, has passed the House and now must pass the Senate. The next critical step is to find a legislator in the Senate who will truly champion this bill—someone who is genuinely committed to your cause and willing to fight for it.
Don Williams
Father of fallen Federal Corrections Officer Eric Williams

06/03/2026

Your Mental Health Matters — And Now There's a Bill to Back That Up
For too long, asking for help has felt like career su***de in law enforcement and corrections. You've seen it happen. Someone admits they're struggling, and suddenly they're being looked at differently — reassigned, sidelined, or quietly pushed out. So most people just keep their heads down and push through, no matter what it costs them.

This bill is designed to change that.

What the Bill Does
At its core, this legislation provides real, tangible mental health resources specifically for law enforcement and correctional officers. Not a hotline number buried on an intranet page. Actual resources — support you can access without fear of what happens next.

The most important piece of this bill is the safe harbor protection. If you come forward and seek mental health treatment, your job is protected. Period. You cannot be terminated, demoted, or penalized simply because you asked for help.

Think about how we handle physical injuries. If you tear your ACL on the job, you go get treatment, you recover, and you come back to work. Nobody questions whether you're fit to wear the badge because you needed surgery. Mental health works the same way. You get the help you need, you recover, and your job is waiting for you when you're ready.

That's exactly what this bill puts into law.

Thank you SSenator Tammy DuckworthRRep. Miller-Meeks

AFGE strongly supports legislation introduced in Congress that would address the alarming rate of su***des among correctional officers by increasing investments in and expanding access to critical mental health care services.

05/18/2026

I had the chance to meet with AFGE 4070 President Jon Zumkehr for a great discussion on expanding mental healthcare for our law enforcement and first responders.

Grateful for his partnership on my Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Su***de Prevention Act, which would expand access to mental health care services and increase federal investments for supporting corrections officers.

05/16/2026

The Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Su***de Prevention Act would create safe harbor protections for correctional officers seeking mental health treatment.

More details: https://trib.al/teTNbYO

05/15/2026

Correctional officers and staff take on challenging and often unseen responsibilities with professionalism, resilience, and dedication to public service. Thank you for the work you do and the sacrifices you make in service to others.

05/15/2026

the goal is to treat mental health recovery the same way agencies would treat a physical injury.

we face pressures and stress that few truly understand,” said Jon Zumkehr, president of AFGE Local 4070. “The Blake Schwarz Su***de Prevention Act gives us a real solution: safe harbor protections that finally allow correctional officers to ask for help without fear of losing their careers.”

Thank you Corrections1

The Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Su***de Prevention Act would create safe harbor protections for correctional officers seeking mental health treatment

05/13/2026

05/13/2026

The time is now to provide real mental health resources to corectional officers
Thank you Rep. Miller-Meeks