[House Report 115-836]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


115th Congress    }                                 {         Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                 {         115-836

======================================================================



 
            NATIONAL SUICIDE HOTLINE IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2018

                                _______
                                

 July 18, 2018.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Walden, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 2345]

    The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 2345) 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, having 
considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment 
and recommend that the bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose and Summary..............................................     3
Background and Need for Legislation..............................     3
Committee Action.................................................     3
Committee Votes..................................................     4
Oversight Findings and Recommendations...........................     4
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures     4
Congressional Budget Office Estimate.............................     4
Federal Mandates Statement.......................................     4
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............     4
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................     4
Committee Cost Estimate..........................................     5
Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits.......     5
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings..............................     5
Advisory Committee Statement.....................................     5
Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................     5
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................     5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............     6

    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``National Suicide Hotline Improvement 
Act of 2018''.

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;
                  (C) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate;
                  (D) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 
                of Representatives; and
                  (E) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 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.

                          PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

    H.R. 2345, National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 
2018, was introduced on May 3, 2017, by Representative Chris 
Stewart (R-UT). H.R. 2345 would require the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC) to coordinate with the 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 
(SAMSHA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct a 
study that examines the feasibility of designating an N11 
dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention and 
mental health crisis hotline system.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 
suicide rates in the United States have surged to their highest 
levels in nearly 30 years. Suicide is the second leading cause 
of death among 15-19 year olds, and over 44,000 Americans die 
by suicide each year.
    In an effort to provide free resources to those 
experiencing a mental health crisis, SAMHSA launched the 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in 2005. Today, the 
Lifeline is a network of over 160 crisis centers that provide 
free and confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or 
emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some have 
suggested that creating a 3-digit dialing code for a national 
suicide prevention hotline would make it easier for those 
experiencing a mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts to 
seek help.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    On March 22, 2018, the Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology held a hearing on H.R. 2345. The Subcommittee 
received testimony from:
           Tim Donovan, Senior Vice President, 
        Legislative Affairs, Competitive Carriers Association;
           David Donovan, President and Executive 
        Director, New York State Broadcasters Association, 
        Inc.;
           Robert Gessner, President, MCTV;
           John Madigan, Vice President and Chief 
        Public Policy Officer, American Foundation for Suicide 
        Prevention; and
           Sarah Morris, Director of Open Internet 
        Policy, Open Technology Institute, New America 
        Foundation.
    On June 13, 2018, the Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology met in open markup session and forwarded H.R. 2345, 
as amended, to the full Committee by a voice vote. On July 12, 
2018, the full Committee on Energy and Commerce met in open 
markup session and ordered H.R. 2345, as amended, favorably 
reported to the House by a voice vote.

                            COMMITTEE VOTES

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes 
on the motion to report legislation and amendments thereto. 
There were no recorded votes taken in connection with ordering 
H.R. 2345 reported.

                 OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee held a hearing and made 
findings that are reflected in this report.

   NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H.R. 
2345 would result in no new or increased budget authority, 
entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues.

                  CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, at the time this report was filed, 
the cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional 
Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974 was not available.

                       FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

    The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act.

         STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general 
performance goal or objective of this legislation is to conduct 
a study that examines the feasibility of designating an N11 
dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention 
hotline.

                    DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

    No provision of H.R. 2345 establishes or reauthorizes a 
program of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of 
another Federal program, a program that was included in any 
report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress 
pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program 
related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance.

                        COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

    The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared 
by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to 
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. At the 
time this report was filed, the estimate was not available.

       EARMARK, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, AND LIMITED TARIFF BENEFITS

    Pursuant to clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI, the 
Committee finds that H.R. 2345 contains no earmarks, limited 
tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits.

                  DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULE MAKINGS

    Pursuant to section 3(i) of H. Res. 5, the Committee finds 
that H.R. 2345 contains no directed rule makings.

                      ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                  APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

             SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Short title

    Section 1 provides that the Act may be cited as the 
``National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2018.''

Section 2. Definitions

    Section 2 defines several terms in the Act, including 
``Commission,'' ``covered dialing code,'' and ``N11 dialing 
code.''

Section 3. Studies and reports

    Section 3 requires the FCC, in coordination with the 
Assistant Secretary for SAMHSA and the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, to conduct a study that examines the feasibility of 
designating a N11 dialing code to be used for a national 
suicide prevention hotline and that analyzes the effectiveness 
of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. In conducting the 
study, the FCC shall consider each of the N11 dialing codes, 
other covered dialing codes, and the information provided by 
SAMHSA and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The section also 
requires SAMHSA to issue a study and report to the FCC on the 
potential impact of a N11 dialing code and possible 
recommendations for improving the National Suicide Prevention 
Lifeline. The section also requires the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to report to the FCC on how well the National Suicide 
Prevention Lifeline and the Veterans Crisis Line is working to 
address the needs of veterans. Finally, the section requires 
the FCC to submit a report to Congress that recommends whether 
a N11 dialing code should be used for a national suicide 
prevention hotline.

         CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

    This legislation does not amend any existing Federal 
statute.

                                  [all]