There’s a reason so many of us in public safety get a little quiet when we stand in front of real history. Not the “museum history” that feels like a textbook chapter… but the kind that still has fingerprints on it.
One of those objects is the bright red rotary phone from Haleyville, Alabama. The phone was tied to the very first 9-1-1 call on February 16, 1968. A simple ring, a simple “hello,” and the emergency communications world shifted on its axis.
And yes, artifacts like that (including 9-1-1 history) are part of why the National Law Enforcement Museum matters.
Now Congress has a bill on the table, H.R. 309, the National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act, that would help keep that mission alive and strengthen the Museum’s ability to educate, connect, and protect.
What H.R. 309 Does (In Plain English)
H.R. 309 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to award a grant to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (which operates the National Law Enforcement Museum) to support the Museum’s:
- Public education
- Community outreach
- Officer safety and wellness programs
- Collections, conservation, and digitization
- Expanded online resources and learning tools
This isn’t a “build a new building” bill. The Museum was built without federal funds and opened in 2018. This bill is about helping fund the programming and outreach that keeps the Museum relevant, accessible, and mission-driven.
The Funding: $6 Million a Year (For 7 Years)
The bill authorizes $6,000,000 per year for seven fiscal years after enactment.
It also includes two details that matter:
- Accountability is baked in. Each year, the Memorial Fund must report progress and provide a formal accounting of federal funds used. The Secretary of the Interior then shares that report with Congress and posts it publicly on the Department of the Interior website.
- A continuity backstop exists. If Congress doesn’t appropriate the full authorized amount in a given year, the Secretary may transfer funds (up to the authorized level) from the National Park Service to carry out the program.
Why This Matters Right Now
The bill’s findings don’t mince words: we’re in a moment where public understanding, staffing challenges, and officer safety/wellness pressures are colliding very hard. Congress cites increased retirements and resignations in recent years and frames this as part of a broader need to rebuild understanding and support, while improving safety and wellness outcomes.
This is exactly where a national museum becomes more than a building full of artifacts.
A modern museum, done right, becomes an engine for:
- education that reaches beyond a single visit,
- outreach that builds bridges locally and nationally,
- training and wellness programming that can be scaled,
- and preservation of the real story of American law enforcement (not the algorithm’s version of it).
The Museum’s Mission: Honor, Educate, Bridge, Protect
The bill itself lays out the Museum’s mission in three pillars:
- Honor and commemorate the extraordinary service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement officers
- Bridge law enforcement’s past and present, and the officers who serve with the public they protect
- Increase public understanding and support, and promote law enforcement safety
That mission is not theoretical. It’s tangible. It’s the fallen officers’ names. It’s the stories behind badges. It’s the hard lessons learned. And it’s a public-facing place where history can be understood in context, not in soundbites.
The Hook That Brings People In: Artifacts Like the Red Phone
Let’s go back to that first 9-1-1 call.
At 2 p.m. on February 16, 1968, a special red phone rang in Haleyville. Marking the first use of 9-1-1.
That object is powerful for one simple reason: it reminds us that “systems” are, in fact, human. Behind every major shift in public safety, whether it’s 9-1-1, NG911, responder wellness, or community engagement. There’s always a moment when somebody picks up the call.
Museums preserve those moments so we don’t lose the thread.
Built-In Public Benefit: Free Admission Provisions
H.R. 309 also pushes the Museum toward access, not exclusivity.
It specifically calls for:
- Free admission for active and retired law enforcement officers
- Free admission for family members of fallen officers
- Dedicated free admission hours for the general public at least once a week
That last point matters because the Museum isn’t only for law enforcement, it’s also for the public that law enforcement serves. Understanding goes both ways.
Where H.R. 309 Stands
As of the latest public record on Congress.gov, H.R. 309 was introduced on January 9, 2025, and the latest action shown is a House subcommittee hearing held on September 18, 2025. It currently shows 121 cosponsors and remains in “Introduced” status.
The Department of the Interior also summarized the bill in testimony for that September 18, 2025 hearing, describing the grant structure, funding authorization, and reporting requirements.
The Bottom Line
H.R. 309 is about keeping a national mission strong:
- honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice,
- educating the public with credible, curated history,
- building bridges between communities and officers,
- and investing in safety and wellness programs that reduce deaths and injuries.
If you’ve ever said, “We need to tell our story better,” this is one of the ways that happens, at national scale, with accountability, and with public access.
If you want to follow the bill, share it with colleagues, or weigh in as a constituent, you can track H.R. 309 directly through Congress.gov.
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