[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1987 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1987
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to establish a program to furnish to certain
individuals items used for the secure storage of firearms, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 10, 2025
Mr. Deluzio (for himself, Mr. James, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Mr. Landsman)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to establish a program to furnish to certain
individuals items used for the secure storage of firearms, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO FURNISH TO
VETERANS AND CERTAIN FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES
ITEMS USED FOR SECURE STORAGE OF FIREARMS.
(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1720M. Program to furnish to veterans and certain former members
of the Armed Forces items intended to be used for the
secure storage of firearms
``(a) In General.--(1) The Secretary shall carry out a program to
provide to an eligible individual, upon the request of such eligible
individual--
``(A) a covered item, or a redeemable voucher to aid in the
distribution of a covered item; and
``(B) information with respect to the benefits of, and
options for, secure firearm storage.
``(2) In distributing covered items to eligible individuals
pursuant to such program, the Secretary is authorized to work with
eligible entities that have expertise and business knowledge with
respect to secure firearm storage and secure firearm storage devices.
``(b) Annual Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of the Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025, and on an
annual basis thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report that includes, with respect to the
period covered by the report--
``(1) a description of the how the program--
``(A) functions; and
``(B) promotes the secure storage of firearms;
``(2) the number of--
``(A) covered items distributed pursuant to the
program;
``(B) redeemable vouchers distributed pursuant to
the program; and
``(C) such redeemable vouchers redeemed for a
covered item;
``(3) efforts made to increase the outreach with respect to
such program to veterans not enrolled in the system of annual
patient enrollment established and operated under section 1705
of this title;
``(4) a description of any obstacles, if any, to increasing
such outreach; and
``(5) a description of additional steps, if any, the
Secretary intends to implement during the one-year period
beginning on the date of the submission of the report to
improve the processes by which eligible individuals receive a
covered item pursuant to the program.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `appropriate congressional committees'
means--
``(A) the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the
House of Representatives and the Senate; and
``(B) the Committees on Appropriations of the House
of Representatives and the Senate.
``(2) The term `covered item' means a lockbox that--
``(A) is used for the secure storage of a firearm
and ammunition;
``(B) is designed, intended, and marketed to
prevent unauthorized access to a firearm or ammunition;
``(C) may be unlocked only by means of a key,
combination, or other similar means;
``(D) is in compliance with the applicable standard
of American Society for Testing and Materials F2456-20;
``(E) is manufactured in the United States; and
``(F) is not eligible or intended for commercial or
individual resale.
``(3) The term `eligible individual' means--
``(A) a veteran; and
``(B) an eligible individual described in
subsection (b) of section 1720I of this title.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section
1720L the following new item:
``1720M. Program to furnish to eligible individuals items
intended to be used for the secure storage
of firearms.''.
(c) Education and Training.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall--
(1) in consultation with representatives of organizations
and agencies that are subject to a memorandum of understanding
with the Secretary with respect to the prevention of suicide
among former members of the Armed Forces (including the reserve
components) and other such entities as the Secretary determines
appropriate--
(A) develop an informational video on secure
storage of firearms as a suicide prevention strategy;
and
(B) publish such informational video on an internet
website of the Department; and
(2) publish information to inform individuals who
participate in the program under section 1720M of title 38,
United States Code (as added by subsection (a)) that any item
intended to be used for the secure storage of a firearm
furnished pursuant to such program is not eligible or intended
for commercial or individual resale.
(d) Public Education Campaign.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall design and carry out a
public education campaign to educate individuals eligible to
participate in the program under section 1720M of title 38,
United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), to inform such
individuals--
(A) of the availability of items intended to be
used for the secure storage of a firearms under such
program; and
(B) that participation in such program does not
affect the rights of an individual with respect to the
lawful ownership of a firearm.
(2) Collaboration authorized.--In carrying out such
campaign, the Secretary may collaborate with organizations that
have expertise with respect to secure firearm storage and
secure firearm storage devices.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026
through 2036 to carry out--
(1) this section; and
(2) the program under section 1720M of title 38, United
States Code (as added by subsection (a)).
(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act, or the amendments
made by this Act, may be construed to--
(1) collect personally identifiable information of an
individual who participates in the program under section 1720M
of title 38, United States Code (as added by subsection (a))
for the purposes of tracking firearm ownership;
(2) require any such individual to register a firearm with
the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any other Federal,
state, tribal or local unit of Government;
(3) require mandatory firearm storage for any such
individual;
(4) prohibit any such individual from purchasing, owning,
or possessing a firearm under section 922 of title 18, United
States Code;
(5) discourage the lawful ownership of firearms; or
(6) create or maintain a list of individuals that
participate in such program.
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