Congresswoman Lee Helps Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Invest in Local Law Enforcement

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) joined Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) to announce the introduction of the bipartisan, bicameral Invest to Protect Act in the U.S. House. This legislation makes targeted investments in small and midsize departments with fewer than 175 sworn police officers, providing vital funds for recruitment, retention, training, and officer support. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

“Every day, when our police officers show up to work, they are putting their lives on the line every day to protect us,” said Congresswoman Lee. “I’m introducing the bipartisan Invest to Protect Act to ensure that our police in Nevada have the tools, training, and support they need to keep us safe.”

The Invest to Protect Act would:

• Invest 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.
• Create grants for small departments to recruit new officers to bolster their departments.
• Provide retention bonuses to keep existing officers as part of their communities.
• Fund officers’ tuition for graduate studies in mental health, public health, and social work up to $10,000.
• Allow departments to provide mental health resources for their officers. 

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