ON TIME Act
Sponsored By: Representative Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]
In Committee
Summary
Suicide prevention coordinators must be available at every VA medical center. This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure a suicide prevention coordinator is available at each VA medical center, including outside operating hours when needed, to accommodate requests for suicide prevention planning services.
Show full summary
- Veterans and families: More timely access to suicide prevention planning when they ask for help, including coverage outside normal clinic hours.
- VA operations: The VA would need to meet the availability requirement using existing staff and resources because the bill does not authorize new full-time equivalent positions or additional funding.
*Would not authorize additional full-time positions or funding, so it would likely have no direct added cost to the federal budget.*
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
More suicide prevention help for veterans
This bill would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure a suicide prevention coordinator is available at each VA medical center. The coordinator would need to be available outside regular operating hours as needed to handle requests for suicide prevention planning services. The bill would not authorize VA to hire any additional full‑time equivalent staff to meet this requirement. If enacted, this would be effective upon enactment and would increase access to suicide prevention planning for veterans who use VA medical centers, but the ban on new staff would limit how VA implements the requirement.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]
IN • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Mrvan, Frank J. [D-IN-1]
IN • D
Sponsored 6/10/2026
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
NY • R
Sponsored 8/31/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov