Why It Matters

Prison Fellowship Ministries increased its federal lobbying expenditures to $120,000 during the second-quarter of 2026, according to a lobbying disclosure filed July 16. The spending represents a sharp increase from recent quarters as the faith-based organization continues advocating on criminal justice and prison reform issues through Congress. The $120,000 filing marks the organization's largest quarterly lobbying expenditure in at least the past year.

Prison Fellowship Ministries has long advocated for criminal justice reform, prison conditions and successful reentry programs. The organization's increased lobbying comes as the federal prison system faces significant infrastructure and operational challenges. The Federal Bureau of Prisons has identified decades of deferred maintenance, raising questions about future congressional funding and oversight.

By the Numbers

Scott Peyton, the organization's director of government affairs, is the registered lobbyist listed on the filing.

Prison Fellowship Ministries reported $30,000 in lobbying expenditures during the third-quarter of 2025, $50,000 during the fourth-quarter of 2025, and $30,000 during the first-quarter of 2026 before increasing spending to $120,000 in the second-quarter of 2026. Combined lobbying expenditures over those four quarters totaled $230,000.

The second-quarter filing represents a 300% increase over the organization's first-quarter spending, or four times its first-quarter expenditure.

According to his lobbying registration, Peyton has no previous congressional employment and has filed three lobbying disclosure reports since joining Prison Fellowship Ministries.

The Agenda

Prison Fellowship Ministries has supported criminal justice legislation including the First Step Implementation Act and the Safer Detention Act.

Previous lobbying disclosures show the organization has advocated on Federal Bureau of Prisons oversight, community supervision, reentry programs and Second Chance Act reauthorization. Earlier filings also referenced the Second Chance Reauthorization Act, the Family Notification of Death, Injury, or Illness in Custody Act and the Reentry Act.

The second-quarter 2026 filing, however, does not identify specific legislation or policy issues, making it unclear which priorities accounted for the increased spending during the quarter.

The Bottom Line

Prison Fellowship Ministries significantly expanded its federal lobbying activity during the second-quarter of 2026. Although the filing does not specify the legislation or policy issues involved, the increase suggests the organization is devoting additional resources to advancing its criminal justice reform agenda before Congress.

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