John,
If you’ve only got 30 seconds, read this:
When a proposal deals with a federal project, every taxpayer, no matter where they are located, has a stake in it because we all pay federal taxes. For example, if you live in California, but a federal facility is being proposed in New York, you still have the right to submit your concerns to the governing bodies or object to it if you see fit.
But when it comes to a proposed gargantuan federal prison in Letcher County, Kentucky, U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (KY - 05) prefers you just shut the heck up. The proposed prison, known as Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) Letcher would cost $500 million making it the most expensive penitentiary in American history. Rogers has sneakily inserted a section in the 2025 House Appropriations Act that would bar anyone from outside of Eastern Kentucky from taking legal action against the project, despite the fact that we all pay for it. Section 223 goes against our democracy and years of established practice for federal projects and would create a dangerous precedent for our country. Take action now to tell Congress to remove Section 223 from the 2025 House Appropriations Act.
Protect Democracy — and Your Rights. Click Here to Sign the Petition.
If you have more time, read this:
It seems U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (KY - 05) is trying to make it more difficult for you to have your say when it comes to a proposed $500 million dollar federal prison. If we don’t act soon, he might just win. Rogers knows that when something is a federal issue, such as a half-billion dollar federal mega prison, we are all stakeholders since we all pay federal taxes. That means, for better or for worse, if you want to oppose a federal project, you have the right to do so, and have your voice heard. But for Rogers, that right is a hurdle in his super, mega, gargantuan prison plans.
Don’t let Rep. Rogers Subvert Democracy — and Your Voice. Sign the Petition.
Building prisons in Kentucky and filling them to capacity is, apparently, Rogers' bread and butter, the only issue he seems to care about. In fact, he’s already convinced the federal government to build three prisons in the state and this one, dubbed Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) Letcher, would be the fourth. For the past 20 years, he has been trying to hoist a new prison on the people of Letcher County and each time he has failed because nobody wanted it. His argument that a new prison would bring jobs to the area has been disproven and a coalition of concerned county residents in Letcher County, national environmental groups and criminal justice reform organizations already defeated his 2019 attempt. Not even the Trump Administration supported his endeavor. But he is back at it again, this time trying to ensure that no one will stand in the way of his precious prison.
FCI Letcher, is currently going through the federally mandated environmental review process required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of an environmental review is to study and reveal any negative impacts a new development might have on the surrounding area and also give stakeholders an opportunity to shape or object to the project before ground is broken. But clever lil Rogers is trying to do all of us dirty. He inserted a provision in the House Appropriations Act for 2025 called section 223 which would make it impossible for anyone living outside of the Eastern District of Kentucky to object to the project, despite it being federal. Section 223’s inclusion in the appropriations is a slap in the face to all Americans.
Federal prisons are paid for and funded by all of our tax dollars and receive people with convictions from within a 500-mile radius, so limiting input to solely residents of Eastern Kentucky makes no sense. Section 223 goes against our democracy and years of established practice for federal projects and would create a dangerous precedent for our country. Take action now to tell Congress to remove Section 223 from the 2025 House Appropriations Act.
Protect Democracy — and Your Rights. Click Here to Sign the Petition.
In solidarity,
— Dream.Org
