U.S. Senate committee OKs Thomson prison funding
A U.S. Senate committee has approved funding to re-open the prison in Thomson as a federal facility.
Sen. Dick Durbin is a member of the Appropriations Committee that approved $166 million Thursday to reactivate Thomson and two other prisons, buy 1,000 prison beds from private contractors and expand a program to reduce recidivism.
The state opened the prison in northwestern Illinois in 2001 but never fully opened it because of budget problems. The federal government bought it for $165 million last fall.
Durbin and Rep. Cheri Bustos (BOO'-stohs) — both Illinois Democrats — say the plan is to spend $25 million in the fiscal year that ends in September for upgrades and renovation and $168 million next year for equipment and staffing.
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