Press Releases

Today the House passed a bipartisan bill authored by Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03) and Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) that directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to study the integration of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) with the VA’s overall mental health care services. Veterans account for 18% of suicides in the United States, even though they are 8.5% of the population. The VCL has handled nearly 2.8 million calls since 2007.

To see Congressman Banks speak on the House floor about his bill, click here or on the image below.

“Twenty veterans die from suicide every day,” said Banks. “The Veterans Crisis Line is a critical resource for our veterans, and we want to make sure that their initial call is not the only help they receive. My bill would analyze the data already collected from these calls to ensure the VA is able to meet its goal of providing veterans with comprehensive mental health care. We need to make certain veterans are being assisted after they call the Crisis Line.”

"We need to be doing better, as a nation, at making sure those who served receive the care and support they deserve when they return home. An average of 20 veterans die daily from suicide. This bill will pave the way forward to ensure our veterans are receiving the best care possible.”

For more information about this bill click here.

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Interested members of the media may contact Anna Swick at anna.swick@mail.house.gov