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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; On the day before the third anniversary of his son&#8217;s brutal murder, Don Williams said Wednesday&#8217;s passage of the legislation that carries his son&#8217;s name signifies a start, not a finish, for improving the safety of all corrections&#8217; officers.</p><p>With no opposition, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the measure &#8212; the Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act &#8212; Wednesday and the bill will now go to the president&#8217;s desk for final approval.</p><p>The U.S. Senate approved the bill in December. The act ensures that correctional officers have a basic tool to defend themselves&#8212;non-lethal pepper spray.</p><p>&#8220;As Eric&#8217;s parents, Jean and I are thrilled,&#8221; Don said shortly after the House vote. &#8220;It&#8217;s an honor to have something like this in his name, his memory. But beyond Eric, there is a great satisfaction that all our efforts to get this bill passed have been rewarded.&#8221;</p><p>Don Williams said the immediate impact of the bill&#8217;s passage will be the increased safety of all corrections officers.</p><p>&#8220;It took a tragedy and then a hard push to make it happen, but Congress finally got on board and made it happen,&#8221; Williams said.</p><p><strong>Check back at www.timesleader.com for updates.</strong></p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Donald and Jean Williams hold a portrait of their son, Eric, who was a federal corrections officer who died after an inmate attacked him on Feb. 25, 2013. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_williams-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Donald and Jean Williams hold a portrait of their son, Eric, who was a federal corrections officer who died after an inmate attacked him on Feb. 25, 2013. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader | File Photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

House approves the Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act