[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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