Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2024”.
Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2024
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a program to furnish to certain veterans items used for the secure storage of firearms, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Program of Department of Veterans Affairs to furnish to veterans items used for secure storage of firearms
In general— Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
“1720K. Program to furnish to eligible veterans items intended to be used for the secure storage of firearms
“(a) In general—The Secretary shall carry out a program to provide to an eligible veteran, upon the request of such eligible veteran—
“(1) a covered item; and
“(2) information relating to the benefits of, and options for, secure firearm storage.
“(b) Definitions—In this section:
“(1) The term “covered item” means a lock box that—
“(A) is used for the secure storage of a firearm;
“(B) is designed and marketed to deny unauthorized access to, or render inoperable, a firearm or ammunition;
“(C) may be unlocked only by means of a key, combination, or other similar means;
“(D) is in compliance with the applicable standard of American Society for Testing Materials;
“(E) is manufactured in the United States; and
“(F) is not eligible or intended for commercial or individual resale.
“(2) The term “eligible veteran” means—
“(A) a veteran (as defined in section 101 of this title); and
“(B) an individual described in section 1720I(b) of this title.”
Clerical amendment— The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section 1720J the following new item:
Education and training— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall—
in consultation with representatives of organizations and agencies that are subject to a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary on preventing veteran suicide and other such entities as the Secretary determines appropriate—
develop an informational video on secure storage of firearms as a suicide prevention strategy; and
publish such informational video on an internet website of the Department; and
publish information to inform individuals who participate in the program under section 1720K of title 38, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)) that any lockbox furnished pursuant to such program is not eligible or intended for commercial or individual resale.
Public education campaign— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall design and carry out a public education campaign to educate veterans eligible for covered items under the program established under section 1720K of title 38, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), to inform such veterans of the availability of such covered items.
Rule of construction— Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, may be construed to—
collect personally identifiable information of an individual who participates in the program under section 1720K of title 38, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)) for the purposes of tracking firearm ownership;
require any such individual to register a firearm with the Department of Veterans Affairs;
require mandatory firearm storage for any such individual;
prohibit any such individual from purchasing, owning, or possessing a firearm under section 922 of title 18, United States Code;
discourage the lawful ownership of firearms; or
create or maintain a list of individuals participating in such program.
Authorization of appropriations— There are authorized to the appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2035 to carry out this section.