Grassley Advances Bipartisan Law Enforcement Legislation in National Defense Bill

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) secured the inclusion of eight bipartisan law enforcement bills as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. Five of the eight bills had been blocked by Senate Democrats since passing out of the Judiciary Committee during Police Week in May.

The Senate passed the FY26 NDAA on Thursday by a vote of 77-20. The House and Senate will now work together to craft a final, reconciled version that the president will sign into law.

The eight law enforcement bills passed as part of the NDAA include:

• The Grassley-Klobuchar Protecting First Responders from Secondary Exposure Act* to protect officers and first responders against accidental exposure to dangerous substances;
• The Grassley-Klobuchar Retired Law Enforcement Officers Continuing Service Act* to address law enforcement staffing shortages;
• The Reauthorizing Support and Treatment for Officers in Crisis Act* to expand mental health resources for law enforcement officers;
• The Strong Communities Act* to boost law enforcement recruitment and retention;
• The PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act* to aid state and local law enforcement agencies in combating child sexual exploitation online; and
• The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act to expand access to federal support for the families of firefighters and other first responders who pass away or become permanently disabled from service-related cancers.
• The Chief Herbert D. Proffitt Act to ensure families of retired law enforcement officers who were killed as a result of their service are not unjustly denied benefits.
• The Improving Police CARE Act to equip law enforcement officers with quality trauma kits, which allows them to respond immediately if a civilian or fellow officer experiences a traumatic injury during a call.

*Denotes a bill that was previously blocked on the Senate floor by a Democrat senator.

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