[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 181 (Tuesday, November 7, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S7069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





            NATIONAL SUICIDE HOTLINE IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2017

  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 256, S. 1015.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1015) to require the Federal Communications 
     Commission to study the feasibility of designating a simple, 
     easy-to-remember dialing code to be used for a national 
     suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``National Suicide Hotline 
     Improvement Act of 2017''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act--
       (1) the term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
     Communications Commission;
       (2) the term ``covered dialing code'' means a simple, easy-
     to-remember, 3-digit dialing code; and
       (3) the term ``N11 dialing code'' means an abbreviated 
     dialing code consisting of 3 digits, of which--
       (A) the first digit may be any digit other than ``1'' or 
     ``0''; and
       (B) each of the last 2 digits is ``1''.

     SEC. 3. STUDIES AND REPORTS.

       (a) Primary Study.--
       (1) In general.--The Commission, in coordination with the 
     Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and 
     the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall conduct a study 
     that--
       (A) examines the feasibility of designating an N11 dialing 
     code or other covered dialing code to be used for a national 
     suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system; 
     and
       (B) analyzes the effectiveness of the National Suicide 
     Prevention Lifeline as of the date on which the study is 
     initiated, including how well the lifeline is working to 
     address the needs of veterans.
       (2) Requirements.--
       (A) Commission.--In conducting the study under paragraph 
     (1), the Commission shall--
       (i) consider--

       (I) each of the N11 dialing codes, including the codes that 
     are used for other purposes; and
       (II) other covered dialing codes;

       (ii) consult with the North American Numbering Council; and
       (iii) review the information provided by the Assistant 
     Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs under subparagraphs (B) and 
     (C), respectively, of this paragraph.
       (B) SAMHSA study and report to assist commission.--To 
     assist the Commission in conducting the study under paragraph 
     (1), the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance 
     Use shall analyze and, not later than 180 days after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, report to the Commission on--
       (i) the potential impact of the designation of an N11 
     dialing code, or other covered dialing code, for a suicide 
     prevention and mental health crisis hotline system on--

       (I) suicide prevention;
       (II) crisis services; and
       (III) other suicide prevention and mental health crisis 
     hotlines, including--

       (aa) the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline; and
       (bb) the Veterans Crisis Line; and
       (ii) possible recommendations for improving the National 
     Suicide Prevention Lifeline generally, which may include--

       (I) increased public education and awareness; and
       (II) improved infrastructure and operations.

       (C) VA study and report to assist commission.--To assist 
     the Commission in conducting the study under paragraph (1), 
     the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall study and, not later 
     than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, report 
     to the Commission on how well the National Suicide Prevention 
     Lifeline and the Veterans Crisis Line, as in effect on the 
     date on which the study is initiated, is working to address 
     the needs of veterans.
       (b) Primary Commission Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Commission, in coordination with 
     the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use 
     and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall submit a report 
     on the study conducted under subsection (a) that recommends 
     whether a particular N11 dialing code or other covered 
     dialing code should be used for a national suicide prevention 
     and mental health crisis hotline system to--
       (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
     of the Senate; and
       (C) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (2) Additional contents.--If the report submitted by the 
     Commission under paragraph (1) recommends that a dialing code 
     should be used, the report shall also--
       (A) outline the logistics of designating such a dialing 
     code;
       (B) estimate the costs associated with designating such a 
     dialing code, including--
       (i) the costs incurred by service providers, including--

       (I) translation changes in the network; and
       (II) cell site analysis and reprogramming by wireless 
     carriers; and

       (ii) the costs incurred by States and localities;
       (C) provide recommendations for designating such a dialing 
     code;
       (D) provide a cost-benefit analysis comparing the 
     recommended dialing code with the National Suicide Prevention 
     Lifeline, as in effect on the date on which the report is 
     submitted; and
       (E) make other recommendations, as appropriate, for 
     improving the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline generally, 
     which may include--
       (i) increased public education and awareness; and
       (ii) improved infrastructure and operations.

  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill, as 
amended, be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was 
agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1015), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

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