Pappas, Letlow, Kean Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Small, Rural Departments Upgrade Essential Public Safety Infrastructure

Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05), and Congressman Tom Kean Jr. (NJ-07) reintroduced the Building Up Infrastructure for Local Departments (BUILD) Act of 2025. This legislation would help small and rural public safety agencies serving jurisdictions of 50,000 or fewer residents upgrade their facilities to modern standards. Both police departments and fire departments would be eligible to apply for funding, and at facilities with in-house EMS units, EMS projects would be eligible as well. Eligible projects could receive up to $4 million in funding for projects that would improve the provision of emergency services, training and development of public safety personnel, recruitment and retention of public safety personnel, community engagement, and overall community safety. 

“It’s clear from the conversations I’ve had with our law enforcement, fire fighters, and town representatives that this legislation is desperately needed so our communities and departments can fund much needed public safety infrastructure upgrades without passing those costs on to New Hampshire taxpayers,” said Congressman Pappas. “Upgrading our public safety infrastructure to modern standards is critically important for community safety, and I will continue to work alongside our departments, local officials, and with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advocate for the resources they need to keep us safe.”

“The BUILD Act will ensure that rural police and fire departments have the resources they need to protect our citizens when an emergency strikes. Public safety is the primary function of government and should always be a high priority,” said Congresswoman Letlow.

“Supporting our local law enforcement and firefighters is paramount to safeguarding the heart of our communities,” said Congressman Kean. “We must invest in these courageous professionals who risk their lives every day to protect us, respond to emergencies, and keep our neighborhoods safe. I’m proud to co-sponsor the BUILD Act. We owe it to our first responders to ensure they have the resources they need to do their jobs effectively.”

This legislation earned praise from New Hampshire law enforcement and local officials in the rural towns of Candia and Danville when it was first introduced in 2023. It is also supported by the National Sheriffs’ Association and the Law Enforcement Action Partnership.

"Maintaining our public-safety infrastructure is essential, and Congressman Chris Pappas' BUILD Act offers crucial support for our smaller Sheriff’s Offices. This legislation delivers much-needed resources to renovate aging facilities or construct new ones, while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used responsibly. Congressman Pappas is not only prioritizing community safety—he’s doing so with equity in mind, focusing on the unique needs of less-populous areas," said Sheriff Kieran Donahue, Canyon County, ID, National Sheriffs’ Association President.

"The BUILD Act will serve as a lifeline to smaller law enforcement agencies facing tough headwinds amid an era of high officer turnover and low staffing levels. By providing federal funding for critical infrastructure upgrades, we can help these agencies boost training, recruitment, and retention efforts, which will ultimately enhance overall public trust and safety. Police departments are only as good as their officers. This legislation ensures that we are providing the necessary investment to help them be the best they can be," said Lieutenant Diane Goldstein (Ret.), Executive Director of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership.

Specifically, the BUILD Act would: 

• Authorize a new BUILD grant program at the Department of Justice to modify, upgrade, or construct facilities for small local law enforcement agencies serving jurisdictions of less than 50,000;
• Authorize a new BUILD-FIRE grant program at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to modify, upgrade, or construct facilities for small fire departments serving jurisdictions of less than 50,000;
• Require a GAO study of the sufficiency of the existing capital infrastructure of small public safety agencies over the near-term and long-term
• Require the Attorney General to conduct and publish a study of the met and unmet construction and renovation needs of a national sample of police departments; and
• Require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct and publish a study of the met and unmet construction and renovation needs of a national sample of fire departments.