Watchdog Applauds FirstNet Reauthorization House Passage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kara Zupkus (224) 456-0257

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives passing H.R. 7386, the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026. The authority oversees the development and operation of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network, known as FirstNet. The bill would reauthorize the authority through fiscal year 2037.

The network was created in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, during which emergency communications faltered and hindered the public safety response. FirstNet has received tremendous support from first responders, with 7.5 million users from more than 30,000 agencies, and covers more than 3 million square miles of the U.S.

The network has played a critical role during large-scale emergency situations, from aiding the Hurricane Helene response along the Atlantic seaboard in 2024, to aiding first responders in assisting Texas residents during flash floods in 2025.

TPA Executive Director Ross Marchand issued the following statement in response to the bill’s passage:

“Public safety organizations have lined up in support of the reauthorization effort, asking that FirstNet continue as-is, because the network has proven effective since its creation. Groups such as the National Fraternal Order of Police and International Association of Fire Fighters, whose lives depend on FirstNet, express confidence that the network is sufficient for their communications systems.”

“As the adage goes, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. That is especially true for a rare government program that is self-sufficient and doesn’t use taxpayer dollars. TPA urges the Senate to take up this critical piece of legislation.”

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The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to educating the public through the research, analysis, and dissemination of information on the government’s impact on the economy.