NAPO Joins Attorney General for Summit on Victims of Violent Crime

NAPO joined Attorney General Todd Blanche, Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter, White House Border Czar Tom Homan, FBI Director Kash Patel, and other top administration officials at a Summit on Victims of Violent Crime on September 24. The Summit brought together law enforcement, victims of violent crime and surviving families to discuss the impact of violent crime and illegal immigration on our nation’s communities. A common theme throughout the summit was the need for accountability, justice, and change in our criminal justice and immigration systems to reduce violent crime.

NAPO has long warned that repeatedly arresting and releasing offenders endangers the public and law enforcement officers. Bail reform programs must be transparent and accountable for why repeat violent offenders are not kept behind bars. And state and local jurisdictions must be held responsible for refusing to cooperate with federal immigration officials and releasing violent criminal aliens back into our communities.

At the Summit, Justice Department officials also announced the Assisting Neighborhoods and Governments with Enforcement of Laws (ANGEL) Grant Program, a $25 million grant program that will support state and local law enforcement activities focused on violent crime, gangs, drug and human trafficking, and immigration-related enforcement.

NAPO on the Hill: PSOB Expansion Act; FirstNet Reauthorization

PSOB Expansion Act‍

NAPO met with the staff of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) to discuss the possibility of moving the Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Expansion Act through the House during the post-election session. The Senate passed its version of the bill, S. 3897, on August 7 by voice vote. This bill is a top priority for NAPO because it would make vital changes to the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Program to increase transparency and accountability and ensure that the program honors and supports officers and their families who have sacrificed so much in service to their communities.

Our priority is to have the House take up this bill under suspension of the rules when it returns from recess in November. Having the support of House leadership and Chairman Jordan is essential to this effort’s success. The meeting was positive, and we will continue building bipartisan support for the House version of the bill, H.R. 7718, sponsored by Representatives Randy Weber (R-TX) and David Min (D-CA), to help ensure there is ample support for passing it swiftly once Congress returns.

FirstNet Reauthorization

NAPO is urging the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, chaired by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), to reauthorize the First Responder Network (FirstNet) Authority as soon as practicable. We sent a letter to Chairman Cruz and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) on September 30 expressing our strong support for the reauthorization of FirstNet and requesting the Committee to take it up as soon as possible.

The House passed its FirstNet reauthorization measure, the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act (H.R. 7386), by voice vote on April 20.

FirstNet is a nationwide broadband network dedicated to emergency responders and the public safety community. It was developed in response to the communication challenges first responders faced during the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center. NAPO played a key role in establishing the FirstNet Authority in 2012, working with Congress to create a single nationwide network that enables public safety agencies to communicate with one another. Authorization for this vital network is set to expire in February 2027.

In a February 2022 report, the Government Accountability Office warned that failing to reauthorize the Authority on time could jeopardize network operations and improvements and cause public safety agencies to lose access to the system. Congress must reauthorize the Authority before it expires in 2027 and preserve its ability to provide priority and preemption services. This capability is a NAPO priority because it allows FirstNet users to communicate and coordinate during emergencies, large events, and other situations when commercial networks become congested.

During the recess, we will continue urging the Committee to promptly reauthorize the First Responder Network Authority so the nation’s first responders retain the reliable, interoperable communications network they need to protect their communities.

NAPO Urges Senate to Move Bill Supporting National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

The House passed the National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support, and Community Outreach Act (H.R. 309) on September 14 and we are urging the Senate to swiftly take up the bill and pass it as soon as possible after lawmakers are back from recess.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC, form the nation’s only site honoring law enforcement. Together, they recognize officers who died in the line of duty, educate the public about law enforcement’s role in a democratic society, and work to reduce line-of-duty deaths and injuries.

This important legislation would establish a formal program within the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to support the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The program would offer grants to honor and memorialize law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty and collect data on officer fatalities and injuries. It would also increase public understanding and support for law enforcement, improve officer safety and wellness, and strengthen the bond between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

As a founding member of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), NAPO serves on its Board of Directors. NAPO helped secure passage of the legislation establishing the Memorial, and its representatives served on the site selection and inscription committees. Through its members, NAPO also raised more than $1 million for the Memorial and remains committed to preserving and expanding this solemn tribute to America’s law enforcement officers.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support, and Community Outreach Act would provide vital support for the NLEOMF and in passing it, Congress would honor and recognize the brave men and women who serve our nation and communities as law enforcement officers.

NAPO sent a letter to Senate leadership and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on October 1, urging swift action on this important bill.

Senate Passes NAPO-Backed Safe Access to Cash Act

The Senate passed the NAPO-supported Safe Access to Cash Act (S. 3798) on September 30. The bill, sponsored by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), would ensure that robberies involving off-site automatic teller machines (ATMs) receive federal penalties equal to those imposed for on-site robberies of banks. The Federal Bank Robbery Act of 1934 currently only protects banks and financial institutions, not standalone ATMs in malls, convenience stores, and public locations.

ATM-related crime, including robberies, physical attacks, and "jackpotting" (using malware to force machines to dispense thousands in cash), is rising in the U.S., increasing the threat to public safety. By imposing stricter penalties for these robberies, the Safe Access to Cash Act will act as a deterrent and protect small businesses and their customers.

Senate Committee Approves No Fentanyl on Social Media Act

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved the No Fentanyl on Social Media Act (S. 3618), sending it to the Senate floor for a vote. This NAPO-supported bill would require the Federal Trade Commission, in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration, to submit to Congress a report on the ability of minors to access fentanyl, including through pressed pills, through social media platforms.

The spread of fentanyl in our communities is devastating. It is being mixed with already deadly illicit drugs, hidden in counterfeit drugs, and peddled to our youth through social media at alarmingly high rates. The data produced under the No Fentanyl on Social Media Act will help ensure that law enforcement, government entities, and private-sector organizations have the resources and tools they need to combat and deter fentanyl sales on social media.

With approximately 75 percent of teen overdose deaths linked to fentanyl, the time to act to protect our children is now. NAPO is urging Senate leadership to take up this important bill as soon as they return from recess in November.

Join Us for NAPO’s Annual Pension & Benefits Seminar

February 7 – 9, 2027

Caesar’s Palace Hotel, Las Vegas

Please join the National Association of Police Organizations at our 39th Annual Police, Fire, EMS, & Municipal Employee Pension & Benefits Seminar, February 7 –9 , 2027, at Caesars Palace Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.  

NAPO's Annual Pension & Benefits Seminar educates pension system and employee representatives, along with their providers and vendors, about the latest issues affecting the pension and benefits industry. Topics will include:

• Results and Effects of the Midterm Congressional Elections on Federal Policy

• Effects of Mid-East Conflicts on Markets and Economic Uncertainty

• Growing use of AI, Benefits and Risks

• Mounting National Debt and Threats to the U.S. Credit Rating

• Liability Pitfalls & Practical Advice for Fiduciaries

• “Outside the Box” Benefits as a Component of Recruitment & Retention

We will examine these areas and more as we evaluate the effect of these trends on public employment benefits and security, and the near- and mid-term future for U.S. and world economic conditions.

Take an active role in improving the future of your fund by registering today. You will find information regarding registration and hotel reservations on NAPO’s website: www.NAPO.org/PB27

If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact NAPO’s Director of Events, Elizabeth Loranger, at eloranger@napo.org or (703) 549-0775.                

Congress Adjourns to Campaign through Election Day

The Senate adjourned on September 30, joining the House for a weeks-long recess through November 9 so lawmakers can return to their states and districts to campaign. After the election, Congress will reconvene for a busy lame-duck session that includes two must-pass measures: fiscal year 2027 appropriations and the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act. Lawmakers may also consider federal permitting reform, a multiyear surface transportation reauthorization, and reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

NAPO will be using the recess to build support for final passage of our priority bills and to lay the groundwork for the 120th Congress.

NAPO’s Legislative Positions & Sponsor/Cosponsor Updates

You can now see if your U.S. Representatives and Senators support NAPO’s priority legislation on our new interactive Sponsor/Cosponsor map on our website. The interactive map accompanies the latest “Legislative Positions” document, which is also available on the NAPO website under “News and Political Action”. NAPO's Legislative Positions is a document that highlights all the legislation that we have taken an official position on or are monitoring during the 119th Congress. The map and Legislative Positions document are continually updated to reflect the work we are doing on Capitol Hill.

If you have any questions about any of the legislation that NAPO is currently working, please contact NAPO’s Director of Governmental Affairs, Andy Edmiston, at: aedmiston@napo.org or (703) 549-0775.