In honor of National Police Week, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved 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). The Committee also approved: Lt. Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband (S. 736); Promoting Police Leadership Act (S. 4394); Carla Walker Act (S. 1890); Tribal Warrant Fairness Act (S. 3041); and TREY’s Law (S. 3966). NAPO thanks the Committee, especially Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Ranking Member Richard Durbin (D-IL), for truly honoring National Police Week.
In a NAPO victory, the House passed the Monitor Accountability Act (H.R. 8365) on May 14th, which would set clear rules for federal district courts to follow when appointing monitors to oversee state or local government agencies, including monitor term limits, capping monitor fees, and reducing or ending a monitorship. NAPO strongly believes the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) must ensure rank-and-file officers, and their representative organizations or unions, have a seat at the table, when instituting a pattern or practice investigation; entering into a consent decree; and appointing a monitor.
NAPO members lobbied their Congressional Representatives, Senators, and their staff during NAPO’s Lobby Day and Legislative Luncheon on May 14th on the issues affecting law enforcement safety, working conditions, and retirement including: The Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro Public Safety Officers' Benefit Program Expansion Act of 2026; The HELPER Act, which creates a first-time homebuyer program for first responders; Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act, a grant program for departments to establish their own childcare program: LEOSA Reform Act; Fighting PTSD Act; the First Responders Wellness Act; and the Improvement Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act.
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.
NAPO supports the Stop the Doxx Act, 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 violence or harass them.
NAPO is backing the Federal Halo Act (H.R. 8796), which would make it illegal, after receiving a verbal warning, to knowingly come within 15 feet of a federal law enforcement officer if the person’s intent is to: interfere with the officers’ work, threaten the officer with physical harm, or harass the officer. The penalties are a fine and/or up to five years in prison.
NAPO supports the COPS Reauthorization Act of 2026 (H.R. 8750), which would reauthorize the DOJ’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program for over $1 billion through 2031. Notably, this reauthorization act would 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.
Register today for NAPO’s 48th Annual Convention July 19 – 22, 2026 at the Marriott Hotel at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan.
NAPO backs the Officer Wellness and Peer Support Act (H.R. 8776), 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 confidentiality.
Click here for the complete May 21, 2026 Washington Report for more information.
