S. 926: Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025

This bill, titled the "Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025", aims to create a program under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide certain veterans with items designed for the secure storage of firearms. Here are the key components of the bill:

Program Overview

The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement a program that will:

• Provide eligible veterans with a covered item (such as a lockbox for firearms) or a redeemable voucher to obtain such an item.
• Offer information about the benefits and options for secure firearm storage.

Collaboration with Organizations

The Secretary is authorized to partner with organizations that have expertise in secure firearm storage. This collaboration aims to enhance the distribution of safe storage items to veterans.

Public Education Campaign

The Secretary will design a public education campaign to inform eligible veterans about the availability of secure storage items. This campaign may also include partnerships with experienced organizations and will assure participants that using the program does not affect their lawful ownership of firearms.

Reporting Requirements

The Secretary must submit reports to Congress regarding the program. These reports will include:

• A description of the program's implementation.
• The number of secure storage items distributed and redeemed.
• Assessment of outreach efforts to veterans, particularly those not enrolled in the VA's patient system.
• Identification of challenges faced in outreach and strategies to improve distribution.

Educational Content

The VA will develop and publish informational content focusing on secure firearms storage as a suicide prevention strategy. This content will aim to support veterans in understanding the importance of safe firearm storage.

Privacy Protections

The bill contains provisions that ensure:

• No personal information of program participants will be collected to track firearm ownership.
• Participants are not obligated to register firearms with the VA or any government entity.
• The program does not impose mandatory firearm storage requirements.
• There are no restrictions on the lawful ownership of firearms for participants.

Funding

The legislation authorizes $5 million in funding for the VA for each fiscal year from 2026 to 2036 to support the implementation of this program.

Definitions

Key terms defined in the bill include:

• Covered Item: A lockbox designed for secure firearm storage, complying with specific standards, manufactured in the United States, and not intended for resale.
• Eligible Individual: A veteran or certain defined individuals entitled to VA benefits.

Relevant Companies

None found