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119-s-1655119th CongressWALLET

Protecting Veterans in Crisis Act

Sponsored By: Senator Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]

Introduced

Summary

Stronger oversight and reporting for the Veterans Crisis Line. This bill would create a statutory framework requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to track staffing, performance, and personnel actions for the toll-free veterans hotline.

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  • Veterans and callers would see clearer monitoring of service quality because the VA must report monthly on wait times, unanswered-call volume, caller-to-operator ratios, and resources used. These reports are required every 30 days through January 20, 2029.
  • Veterans Crisis Line employees would face an advance-notice rule: the VA must notify relevant congressional committees at least 48 hours before terminating any VCL staff, explain the cause, note whether the employee is a veteran or military spouse, and provide a plan to maintain operations. That notification requirement sunsets on January 20, 2029.
  • Congress and independent reviewers would get detailed personnel and operations reviews. The VA must submit a personnel report within 30 days covering headcounts and specific terminations around February 13 and 24, 2025, and the Comptroller General must deliver a review with recommendations within 180 days.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

GAO review of Veterans Crisis Line

This bill would require the Comptroller General to deliver a report within 180 days of enactment. The report would assess the operation and performance of the Veterans Crisis Line and give recommendations to improve it. The report would go to the relevant House and Senate veterans and health committees.

Monthly reports and staffing counts for crisis line

This bill would require the VA Secretary to send a detailed staffing report within 30 days of enactment. The one‑time personnel report would list employees on January 20, 2025, counts for terminations around February 13 and February 24, 2025, and current counts, with breakdowns by job, probationary status, veteran or military‑spouse status, employment status, and reinstatement dates. The bill would also require operational reports every 30 days until January 20, 2029. Each monthly report would compare performance to prior periods, show average wait times and unanswered calls, give caller‑to‑staff ratios, list resources used and outstanding, and include staffing by job category. The section would define "Veterans Crisis Line" as the toll‑free hotline under 38 U.S.C. 1720F(h) for purposes of these rules.

Notice before firing Veterans Crisis Line staff

This bill would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to notify Congress at least 48 hours before terminating any Veterans Crisis Line employee. The notice would have to say the cause, state whether the worker is a veteran or a military spouse, and include a plan to keep the hotline mission-ready. This notice requirement would end on January 20, 2029.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]

IL • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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