Susie Lee (D-NV)
VA Zero Suicide Demonstration Project Act of 2025
A Democratic bill with 4 Republican cosponsors · See all 8 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to create the "Zero Suicide Initiative" pilot program. The program uses a specific curriculum from the Zero Suicide Institute to improve safety and care for veterans. It aims to significantly reduce suicide rates through specialized training and improved processes. The initiative will be carried out at five medical centers, including one serving rural and remote areas. The Secretary must undergo a development phase and consult with various experts and organizations. Finally, the program includes requirements for annual progress reports and a final evaluation.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +9
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
Directly implements a comprehensive suicide prevention program to save veteran lives.
- Scored +8
Does this help veterans get medical care?
Directly targets the improvement of suicide prevention and care standards within the VA system.
- Scored +7
Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive?
Provides veterans with advanced, standardized suicide care and safety protocols.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Safety and Care for Veterans: The program implements a curriculum designed to improve safety and suicide care to significantly reduce suicide rates (Section 2(b)).
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Specialized Training for Staff: The program includes at least ten weeks of education for staff leaders to improve processes regarding screening, assessment, treatment, and care transitions (Section 2(d)(6)).
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Targeted Support for Rural Areas: The Secretary is required to include one medical center that primarily serves veterans living in rural and remote areas (Section 2(e)(1)).
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Data-Driven Quality Improvement: Staff are tasked with creating plans to collect data specifically for the purpose of evaluation and quality improvement (Section 2(d)(3)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts or burdens are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Healthcare
- Does this help veterans get medical care? — Directly targets the improvement of suicide prevention and care standards within the VA system. Does this make mental health care easier to get? — Establishes a pilot program specifically to improve suicide care and mental health safety for veterans. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Increases access to specialized suicide care, though limited to five pilot sites. Does this put more money into medical research? — Requires data collection and evaluation of outcomes to determine the effectiveness of the suicide prevention curriculum.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — Directly implements a comprehensive suicide prevention program to save veteran lives. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Specifically requires at least one pilot site to serve rural and remote areas.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — Provides veterans with advanced, standardized suicide care and safety protocols.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requires annual progress reports and a final effectiveness report to be submitted to Congress.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — Mandates that at least one pilot site serves veterans in rural and remote areas.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this put more limits on buying or owning guns? — Includes lethal means safety counseling as a key component of the program's assessment.
- 4/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/8/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/5/2026
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
- 12/4/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 6 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Donald DavisDemocrat · North Carolina
Charles FleischmannRepublican · Tennessee
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Tony GonzalesRepublican · Texas
William KeatingDemocrat · Massachusetts
Tracey MannRepublican · Kansas
Brittany PettersenDemocrat · Colorado
Andrea SalinasDemocrat · Oregon