It’s the last chance to register for NAPO’s 2024 Fall Seminar in Corpus Christi, Texas. Members are asked to register by today, Oct. 4, 2024. The Seminar will focus on: How to effectively communicate with the press when responding to use of force and controversial issues and Officer health and wellness. Click here for more details and to register.
Congress adjourned Sept. 26 for a 6-week recess through Election Day after passing a continuing resolution to fund the federal government until Dec. 20. When lawmakers return in mid-November, they will have just five legislative weeks to fund the federal government through the remainder of the 2025 fiscal year, pass the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), take up a supplemental emergency funding measure in response to the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene, and vote on the Social Security Fairness Act, among other must-do issues.
On Sept. 19, the discharge petition for H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, reached the necessary 218 signatures needed to force a vote. Congress adjourned before the 7-day procedural waiting period was over and the
bill could be called to the floor for a vote. H.R. 82 can be called to the floor as soon as Congress returns, which is expected to be Nov. 12. Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) said he will be proud to call the bill up for a vote as soon as the House is back in session.
During the recess, NAPO is focused on ensuring our priority provisions are included in the final NDAA, shoring up support in both the House and the Senate for passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, and working to pass our remaining legislative priorities, including the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) just issued a rather damning Report to Congress, Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Program: Transparency, Claims Assistance, and Program Management Improvements Needed, highlighting deficiencies in the PSOB Program that are negatively impacting claimants and issued five main recommendations. Over nearly 10 years, NAPO worked to enact four laws to improve the transparency and accountability of the PSOB Program and expand eligibility for PSOB death and disability benefits: Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2017, Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act of 2020, Protecting America’s First Responders Act of 2021, and the Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022. While PSOB has worked to expand eligibility for benefits, the GAO found it failed to execute many transparency and accountability provisions in these Acts.
NAPO supports two bills to enhance and reauthorize the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program, which plays an essential role in the nation’s drug control strategy: the HIDTA Enhancement Act and the Ending Drug Trafficking in Our Communities Act. The HIDTA Enhancement Act (S. 5270) would reauthorize the program at $333 million annually through 2030 and expands its supplemental competitive grants to include enhanced fentanyl seizure and interdiction activities. The Ending Drug Trafficking in Our Communities Act (H.R. 9623) would reauthorize the program at $400 million over the next five years and would give HIDTA directors more flexibility in identifying and promulgating promising practices.
Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Russell Fry (R-NC), August Pfluger (R-TX), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), and Don Davis (D-NC) reintroduced the NAPO-backed Stop the Importation and Manufacturing of Synthetic Analogues (SIMSA) Act, to combat manufacturing and importation of fentanyl from countries such as China and Mexico.
Members are encouraged to take the time to nominate examples of outstanding police work for TOP COPS. Join NAPO in honoring America’s Finest by nominating a case today. The nomination form is attached and can be found on NAPO’s website, and it must be postmarked or faxed to (703) 684-0515 by Jan. 10, 2025.
Click here for more details in the Oct. 4, 2024 Washington Report.
