SPEED Act

II 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 2003 To require the Federal Communications Commission to designate a 3-digit dialing code for veterans in crisis. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 27, 2019 Mr. MANCHIN (for himself, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. TESTER, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, and Mr. SULLIVAN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To require the Federal Communications Commission to designate a 3-digit dialing code for veterans in crisis. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Suicide Prevention by 4 Eliminating Excessive Digits Act of 2019’’ or the 5 ‘‘SPEED Act’’. 6 SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF 3-DIGIT DIALING CODE FOR VET- 7 ERANS IN CRISIS. 8 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:18 Jul 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2003.IS S2003 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •S 2003 IS (1) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal 1 Communications Commission; and 2 (2) the term ‘‘covered dialing code’’ means a 3 simple, easy-to-remember, 3-digit dialing code. 4 (b) DESIGNATION.—As soon as practicable after the 5 date of enactment of this Act, the Commission, in con- 6 sultation with the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health 7 and Substance Use and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 8 shall designate a covered dialing code that veterans may 9 use to reach a national suicide prevention and mental 10 health crisis hotline system, which system may be— 11 (1) the Veterans Crisis Line; 12 (2) the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline; or 13 (3) another hotline. 14 (c) INCORPORATION OF STUDY FINDINGS.— 15 (1) IN GENERAL.—In designating a covered di- 16 aling code under subsection (b), the Commission 17 shall incorporate the findings of the study conducted 18 under section 3(a) of the National Suicide Hotline 19 Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–233; 20 132 Stat. 2424). 21 (2) PRIORITIZING IMPLEMENTATION SPEED.— 22 Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to au- 23 thorize the Commission to delay the designation of 24 a covered dialing code under subsection (b) until 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:18 Jul 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2003.IS S2003 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •S 2003 IS after the Commission submits the report under sec- 1 tion 3(b) of the National Suicide Hotline Improve- 2 ment Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–233; 132 Stat. 3 2424). 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:18 Jul 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S2003.IS S2003 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS