Extreme Temperatures Injustice in Prisons Act of 2026
Key claim: The Extreme Temperatures Injustice in Prisons Act of 2026 (HR9591) would address extreme temperature conditions in prisons and has been referred to the House Judiciary and Energy and Commerce Committees.
Abstract
(HR9591 · 119th Congress) Latest action (2026-07-06): Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Why this matters
Extreme heat and cold in prisons — many of which lack air conditioning or adequate heating — have been linked to deaths, medical crises, and Eighth Amendment litigation, disproportionately affecting incarcerated people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or on certain medications. A federal statutory standard would shift the issue from case-by-case constitutional litigation to a defined baseline of facility conditions, with practical implications for BOP construction, retrofitting, and oversight. As an introduced bill referred to two committees, its near-term status is early-stage, but it marks one of the few federal legislative attempts to directly regulate carceral temperature conditions.