,,ii  #aadth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ccjd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #h1 
#bjaf,mr4 ,thune introduced the         
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
direct the ,secretary of ,veterans      
,affairs to improve the ,veterans       
,crisis ,line4  #a4 ,short title ,this  
,act may be cited as the ,no ,veterans  
,crisis ,line ,call ,should ,go         
,unanswered ,act4  #b4 ,improvements to 
,veterans ,crisis ,line  7a7 ,quality   
assurance document  7#a7 ,in general    
,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs   
shall develop a quality assurance       
document to use in carrying out the     
,veterans ,crisis ,line4  7#b7 ,elements
 ,the quality assurance document        
developed under paragraph 7#a7 shall--  
7,a7 outline clearly defined and        
measurable performance indicators and   
objectives to improve the responsiveness
 and performance of the ,veterans       

,crisis ,line1 including at backup call 
centers2  7,b7 include quantifiable     
timeframes to meet designated objectives
 to assist the ,secretary in tracking   
the progress of the ,veterans ,crisis   
,line and such backup call centers in   
meeting the performance indicators and  
objectives outlined in subparagraph     
7,a72 and  7,c7 with respect to the     
timeframes and objectives described in  
subparagraph 7,b71 be consistent with   
guidance issued by the ,office of       
,management and ,budget4  7b7 ,plan     
7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall  
develop a plan to ensure that each      
telephone call1 text message1 and other 
communication received by the ,veterans 
,crisis ,line1 including at backup call 
centers1 is answered in a timely manner 
by a person1 consistent with the        
guidance established by the ,american   
,association of ,suicidology4  7#b7     
,guidelines ,the plan developed under   
paragraph 7#a7 shall include guidelines 
to carry out periodic testing of the    

,veterans ,crisis ,line1 including such 
backup centers1 during each fiscal year 
to identify and correct any problems in 
a timely manner4  7c7 ,report ,not later
 than #ahj days after the date of the   
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
shall submit to the ,committee on       
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and  
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of
 the ,house of ,representatives a report
 containing the quality assurance       
document developed under subsection 7a7 
and the plan developed under subsection 
7b74  7d7 ,veterans ,crisis ,line       
defined ,in this section1 the term      
,veterans ,crisis ,line means the       
toll-free hotline for veterans          
established under section #agbj;,f7h7 of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4