view pdfNAPO Priority Bills Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee
In honor of National Police Week, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a slate of seven bipartisan, pro-law enforcement bills on May 14th, including two of NAPO’s priority legislation: the Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Program Expansion Act (S. 3897) and the Fighting Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Act (S. 825). This is a win for NAPO as we have been working for months with the Committee to secure the markup and approval of these important bills.
The Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro PSOB Program Expansion Act would make vital changes to the PSOB Program to increase transparency and accountability and ensure the Program honors and supports officers and their families who have sacrificed so much in service to their communities, including:
• Require the PSOB Office to complete a death or disability determination within 270 days of receiving a complete claim;
• Expedite claims processing for officers already certified for benefits through the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) or the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF); and
• Direct BJA to implement September 2024 Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations to establish updated program processes and administrative procedures to improve transparency and accountability within the program.
The Fighting PTSD Act would direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop treatment programs for police, fire, emergency medical and 911 personnel who suffer from PTSD or acute stress disorders. By recognizing the prevalence of PTSD within the public safety profession and the need to address PTSD and acute stress disorder among officers, this bill would help make certain they get the treatment and help they need.
The Committee also approved following bills on May 14: the Lt. Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband (S. 736), the Promoting Police Leadership Act (S. 4394), the Carla Walker Act (S. 1890), the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act (S. 3041), and TREY’s Law (S. 3966).
We thank the Senate Judiciary Committee, particularly Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Ranking Member Richard Durbin (D-IL), for working with us to truly honor National Police Week and move such important bills as the Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro PSOB Program Expansion Act and
the Fighting PTSD Act. These bills will have a tremendous impact on the mental health and wellness of officers and their families.
NAPO is now focusing our efforts to swiftly passing these bills through the Senate.
NAPO Victory! House Passes Monitor Accountability Act
In a victory for NAPO, the House passed the Monitor Accountability Act (H.R. 8365) on May 14th by a bipartisan vote of 219 – 204. The Monitor Accountability Act would set clear rules for federal district courts to follow when appointing monitors to oversee state or local government agencies, including term limits for monitors, capping fees that monitors can charge, and providing a pathway to narrowing or ending a monitorship.
Federal consent decrees have a detrimental impact on state and local law enforcement agencies. In many cases, the decree process, once in place, turns into a self-perpetuating entity, with monitors overseeing what becomes, in effect, a cottage industry of oversight and shifting goalposts. The original goals of the decree, which may have been appropriately tailored to address specific issues or shortcomings, have long since been achieved. Yet the agency and officers continue to have additional, burdensome requirements imposed upon them.
NAPO strongly believes that the U.S. Department of Justice must also ensure rank-and-file officers, and their representative organizations or unions, have a seat at the table, and a voice, during the consideration of instituting a pattern or practice investigation; entering into a consent decree; and the appointment of a monitor. The local rank-and-file organization must be recognized as a bona fide party to any consent decree.
We continue working with Congressman Biggs to safeguard the interests and rights of not only state and local agencies, but their officers as well by giving the appropriate representatives of the rank-and-file officers standing to participate in a consent decree or monitorship.
NAPO’s Legislative Luncheon & Lobby Day
On May 14th, NAPO held its annual Lobby Day and Legislative Luncheon during which NAPO members lobbied their Congressional Representatives, Senators, and their staff, on the issues affecting law enforcement officers and their families, their safety, working conditions, and retirement. This year, our Lobby Day focused on:
• The Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro Public Safety Officers' Benefit Program Expansion Act of 2026.
• Innovative programs to help with recruitment and retention: the HELPER Act, which creates a first-time homebuyer program for first responders, and the Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act, which establishes a grant program for departments to establish their own childcare program that caters to law enforcement and their unique needs and schedules.
• The LEOSA Reform Act.
• Law enforcement mental health and wellness, specifically highlighting the Fighting PTSD Act, the First Responders Wellness Act, and the Improvement Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act.
Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was the keynote speaker at our Legislative Luncheon, focusing on his work to improve the PSOB Program, expand law enforcement officers’ access to confidential mental health and wellness services, and combat illicit drugs like fentanyl and xylazine, amongst other issues.
Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), co-chair of the House Law Enforcement Caucus, spoke after Senator Grassley, highlighting the Stop the Doxx Act he just introduced as well as the Invest to Protect Act and the Protect and Serve Act, officer safety bills that are NAPO legislative priorities.
Senator Jackie Rosen (D-NV) and Congresswoman Laura Gillen (D-NY) also attended and spoke at the luncheon as well as Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA). NAPO appreciates all the Members of Congress, Senators, and staff who attended our luncheon and thanks them for their support of our nation’s law enforcement community.
Legislation Introduced to Provide Tax Cut for Families of Fallen First Responders
Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Relief for Families of the Fallen Act (S. 4510) to exempt the families of public safety officers who die in the line of duty from paying federal income taxes on the fallen first responder’s income for the year of their death and the preceding year, and to allow them to be eligible for refunds on any taxes paid for those years.
On May 13th, we honored the names of 363 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty at the 38th Annual Candlelight Vigil. While we will never forget that these brave men and women made the ultimate sacrifice, we must also remember the immense burden that their families bear as a result of their loss. Not only must they endure the tragic, unexpected passing of a loved one, but also the tremendous financial strains that go along with it. The Relief for Families of the Fallen Act will ensure they do not have to worry about unexpected tax bills and provide them with financial relief as they work to put their lives back together after their loss.
We thank Senators Hassan and Cornyn for their support of the families of officers who have been killed in the line of duty and their recognition of all that these families have sacrificed and lost.
NAPO-Backs Bill Creating Federal Criminal Penalties for Doxxing Law Enforcement
NAPO is supporting the Stop the Doxx Act, introduced by Congressmen Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Don Bacon (R-NE), which would establish federal criminal penalties for publicly revealing private, personally identifiable information of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges with the intent to threaten, harass, or threaten violence.
Our nation’s law enforcement officers are targets for disgruntled individuals who harbor hatred for the profession and blame them for all of society’s ills and for policies that the officers themselves have no control over. This harassment includes the online publication of not only the officer’s personal information, but that of their spouse and children as well. It has created an unacceptable environment in which officers find themselves and it has a significant impact on not only officer safety and wellness, but public safety as well.
The doxxing of law enforcement officers is not about transparency and accountability in policing. It is about intimidation and threats of violence, and those who perpetrate these malicious acts must be held accountable. We strongly believe our nation’s law enforcement officers, who put their lives on the line to safeguard our communities, deserve the protections created by the Stop the Doxx Act.
We thank Congressmen Gottheimer and Bacon for their steadfast commitment to protecting the lives of our nation’s law enforcement officers by consistently supporting policies to increase penalties for those who harm, or target for harm, public safety officers. With the increase in doxxing and harassment of officers, this bill is a NAPO priority.
NAPO Supports Legislation to Shield Federal Officers from Threats and Harassment
NAPO is backing the Federal Halo Act (H.R. 8796), sponsored by Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), which would make it illegal for anyone, after receiving a verbal warning, to knowingly come within 15 feet of a federal law enforcement officer if their intent is to interfere with the officers’ work, threaten the officer with physical harm, or harass the officer. Anyone who breaks this rule could face a fine, up to five years in prison, or both.
The consistent drumbeat by politicians, of distrust of the police, absolutely helps engender attacks on officers and encourages the public not to comply with police commands. It is becoming more and more common for persons who come in contact with the police to resist, obstruct, interfere, thwart and even attack officers. This is an unacceptable environment in which officers find themselves and it is impacting not just officer morale, but also retention, hiring, and officer safety and wellness.
Further, officers are targets for disgruntled individuals who harbor hatred for the profession and blame them for all of society’s ills and for policies that the officers themselves have no control over. Federal law enforcement officers are being targeted and harassed for simply doing their jobs. The Federal Halo Act would provide much-needed physical distance for officers from those who threaten to harm them or attempt to interfere with officers’ lawful actions.
We strongly believe that not only federal law enforcement officers deserve this protection, but also every officer at the federal, state, and local level who put their lives on the line to enforce our laws and safeguard our communities. There should be increased penalties for those who harm, or target for harm, public safety officers.
NAPO also supports the Halo Act (H.R. 7846 / S. 3179), sponsored by Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) and Congressman Michael Rulli (R-OH), which would provide similar protections to federal immigration enforcement officers. We met with Senator Moody’s staff as well as staff of Representatives Rulli and Malliotakis to discuss expanding these protections to state and local law enforcement officers and continue to work with them safeguard the lives of all officers.
NAPO Supports COPS Reauthorization Act
Congressmen Josh Harder (D-CA), John Rutherford (R-FL), and George Whitesides (D-CA) introduced the COPS Reauthorization Act of 2026 (H.R. 8750). NAPO supports this legislation, which would reauthorize the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program at more than $1 billion through 2031. Importantly, this reauthorization act would also establish the COPS Office in statute as a separate and distinct office within the Department, protecting it from efforts to merge it with other DOJ grantmaking entities.
The COPS Office is the only office within the Department solely dedicated to the needs of state and local law enforcement. COPS leadership and staff have built close relationships with state and local law enforcement agencies and representatives, and it is known for its accessibility and responsiveness to stakeholders and grantees. It is a trusted office within the Department that over the past 30 years has become an essential partner to the law enforcement community.
COPS initiatives to put and maintain more officers in the field promote community policing, fight crime, and improve officer safety and wellness and should be continued and supported as part of an independent COPS Office.
NAPO led the charge with Congressional appropriators and staff throughout the Fiscal 2026 and 2027 appropriations process to protect the independence of the COPS Office within the DOJ. We secured language in the FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) spending measure directing the DOJ to maintain the COPS Office as “a distinct organizational grantmaking entity within the Department”. Given that the DOJ continues to move forward with the merger of COPS with the Office of Justice Programs, we once again secured the same language in the House Fiscal 2027 CJS appropriations bill, which was approved by the Appropriations Committee on May 13.
NAPO is using every available pathway to ensure the COPS Office maintains its independence with the DOJ.
Join Us for NAPO’s 48th Annual Convention
July 19 – 22, 2026 ~ Detroit, Michigan
Join us for NAPO’s 48th Annual Convention being held at the Marriott Hotel at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan. The riverfront hotel located in downtown Detroit welcomes you with a contemporary design and a newly renovated modern lobby and restaurant. The hotel offers stunning views of the Detroit River and Ontario, Canada.
Participate in setting NAPO’s legislative priorities for the upcoming 120th Congress and learn from presentations by prominent law enforcement figures about the latest developments in police policies and services.
Very Special Thanks to Mark Young and the Detroit Police Lieutenants & Sergeants Association and Craig Miller and the Detroit Police Officers Association for sponsoring many of the convention’s events. Without their financial support and tireless efforts, many of the events simply would not be possible!
Officer Wellness and Peer Support Act Introduced
NAPO pledged our support for the Officer Wellness and Peer Support Act (H.R. 8776), introduced by Representatives Laura Gillen (D-NY) and John Rutherford (R-FL). NAPO worked with Representative Gillen’s office in developing this legislation, which would require a report by the Attorney General on effective strategies and best practices to reduce stigma related to mental health among law enforcement officers, encourage officers to access mental health services and support, and ensure the confidentiality of these services.
State and local law enforcement officers are our nation’s first responders. They respond to our country’s greatest tragedies, violent crimes, and horrible accidents that are occurring more frequently in our communities. They have seen and experienced horrors that they cannot forget, yet we still expect them each day to protect and serve our communities. We must ensure they have the culturally competent, accessible, and confidential mental health services necessary for their wellbeing and reduce the stigma of accessing these vitally important services.
NAPO thanks Representatives Gillen and Rutherford for their leadership and we look forward to working with them to pass this important bill.