Gottheimer applauds Senate Judiciary Committee’s unanimous passage of bipartisan ‘Invest to Protect Act’

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) Friday applauded the passage of the bipartisan Invest to Protect Act Senate companion bill unanimously passing through the Senate Judiciary Committee.

This moves the critical bipartisan, bicameral legislation one step closer to becoming law. The Invest to Protect Act, which was first introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Gottheimer and John Rutherford (FL-4), will make critical, targeted investments in local police departments and ensure that police officers in smaller communities across the country have the resources and training they need to keep themselves and their communities safe.

The Invest to Protect Act has 67 bipartisan cosponsors in the House. The Senate companion legislation was introduced by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and is cosponsored by Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Jon Tester (D-MT), Tom Tillis (R-NC), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Todd Young (R-IN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Jon Ossoff (D-GA).

“Every day, our brave law enforcement wake up, put on a bulletproof vest, kiss their spouses and children goodbye, and put their lives on the line to look out for us. That’s why we must always get the backs of our first responders, and all those who serve our nation. With my bipartisan legislation, we will make critical investments in our law enforcement, in training and tools, in recruiting and retaining the best talent, and in ensuring they have the resources they need to keep themselves and our communities safe. When it comes to law enforcement, we need to invest to protect,” said Gottheimer, a member of the bipartisan Law Enforcement Caucus and lead House sponsor of the Invest to Protect Act. “The Senate Judiciary Committee passing this critical bipartisan, bicameral legislation moves us one step closer to getting this vital investment across the finish line.”

Gottheimer’s bipartisan, bicameral Invest to Protect Act will provide the following federal investment to small police departments:

1. Investments in officer safety, de-escalation, and domestic violence response training, allowing officers to receive critical training that will make them more effective at their jobs, all without putting a strain on department budgets or reducing the number of officers on duty while others are at training by allowing investment to be used to offset overtime pay.
2. Investment for body worn cameras — to hold everyone accountable — while also providing much-needed resources for data storage and data security.
3. Investment for small departments to recruit new officers — helping expand departments and bringing in new, good officers. This investment can also be used by departments to provide retention bonuses to help keep their existing officers.
4. Investment for departments to provide mental health resources for their officers.

The bill is endorsed by the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), the National Sheriff’s Association, the National Troopers Coalition (NTC), the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), the New Jersey State Troopers Fraternal Association, the New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association, and the New Jersey State Troopers Non-Commissioned Officers Association.