US Senate Committee OKs Thomson Prison Funding

A U.S. Senate committee has approved funding to re-open the Thomson prison 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.

The money will also buy 1,000 prison beds from private contractors and expand a program to reduce recidivism.

The state opened the northwestern Illinois prison 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 -  both 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.