Speaker Ryan Signs Bill to Help Veterans in Crisis

Statement

Yesterday, Speaker Ryan signed H.R. 5392, the No Veterans Crisis Line Call Should Go Unanswered Act--legislation introduced by Rep. David Young (R-IA) to assure veterans' needs are prioritized. Prior to signing the bill, Speaker Ryan discussed its significance during his weekly press briefing:

"This week, Congress gave final approval to legislation that will help veterans in need. H.R. 5392 requires the VA [to] respond to calls to its crisis hotlines in a timely manner.

"This is one of those bills that should not even be necessary, but sadly--and tragically--it is.

"Earlier this year, we learned that more than one out of three calls to the VA crisis hotline were going unanswered. Imagine a veteran calling for help and then getting sent to voicemail. There is no excuse for that.

"This bill, authored by my colleague David Young, requires that the VA make improvements so that veterans actually get the help when they need the help.

"As part of our Better Way agenda, we propose building a truly 21st-century VA. And this will be a priority of the new unified Republican government. But for now, this initiative is good news ahead of Thanksgiving, a time to be grateful for all the men and women who have fought for us."

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