Bill Details
Status
Latest action
2025-02-27 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced Date
2025-02-27
Policy Area
Armed Forces and National Security
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (1)
6
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AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would update and continue a Department of Veterans Affairs grant program that helps prevent veteran suicide. It changes how the program is run, gives the VA more flexibility in working with partners, raises the amount of money each grant can receive, and requires more reporting and coordination. It also extends the program through September 30, 2028 and provides more funding for the next few years.
- The maximum grant size would increase from $750,000 to $1.25 million.
- The VA would be allowed to work with other groups the Secretary thinks are appropriate, instead of being tied to one specific task force reference.
- The bill adds stronger reporting standards so the VA can better show Congress how the grant money is being used and what results the program is producing.
- The VA would have to give yearly briefings to nearby medical centers, and the program would be reauthorized at $285 million for fiscal years 2026 through 2028.
Official Summaries
No summaries available
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 793 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 793
To amend the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care
Improvement Act of 2019 to modify and reauthorize the Staff Sergeant
Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 27, 2025
Mr. Warner (for himself and Mr. Boozman) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care
Improvement Act of 2019 to modify and reauthorize the Staff Sergeant
Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. MODIFICATIONS TO AND REAUTHORIZATION OF THE STAFF SERGEANT
PARKER GORDON FOX SUICIDE PREVENTION GRANT PROGRAM OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Task Force.--Section 201 of the Commander John Scott Hannon
Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (38 U.S.C. 1720F
note; Public Law 116-171) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b), by striking ``the President's
Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of
Suicide Task Force'' and inserting ``such entities as the
Secretary considers appropriate''; and
(2) in subsection (h)(3)(L), by striking ``the President's
Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of
Suicide Task Force,''.
(b) Maximum Grant Amount.--Subsection (c)(2)(A) of such section is
amended by striking ``$750,000'' and inserting ``$1,250,000''.
(c) Measures and Metrics.--Subsection (h)(2) of such section is
amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(C) Additional measures and metrics as the
Secretary considers appropriate to ensure that the
measures and metrics described in this paragraph--
``(i) accurately reflect the aims of the
grant program under this section;
``(ii) provide accountability to Congress
related to grant funds; and
``(iii) reflect lessons learned from
interim reporting on and evaluation of the
grant program.''.
(d) Briefings.--Subsection (h) of such section is amended by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:
``(5) Briefing for local vamcs.--Not less frequently than
once each year, the Secretary shall provide, to the appropriate
personnel of each medical center of the Department located not
more than 100 miles from the primary location of a grantee
under this section, a briefing about the grant program under
this section in order to improve coordination between such
grantee and personnel.''.
(e) Duration.--Subsection (j) of such section is amended by
striking ``the date that is three years after the date on which the
first grant is awarded under this section'' and inserting ``September
30, 2028''.
(f) Reauthorization.--Subsection (p) of such section is amended by
striking ``a total of $174,000,000 for fiscal years 2021 through 2025''
and inserting ``$285,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2026
through 2028''.
(g) Eligible Individuals.--Subsection (q)(4)(C) of such section is
amended by striking ``(iv)'' and inserting ``(vi)''.
<all>