Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025

Last action on Dec 10, 2025Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

Summary

S. 926 would direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to create a voluntary program providing free firearm lockboxes to eligible veterans. Under this program, veterans could request a lockbox or voucher for a lockbox that meets specific safety standards, including being manufactured in the United States and designed to prevent unauthorized access to firearms and ammunition. The VA would develop educational materials, including an informational video on secure firearm storage as a suicide prevention strategy, and would work with organizations experienced in firearm storage and suicide prevention.

The program would be entirely voluntary, and the VA would be required to conduct outreach to inform veterans about the program while emphasizing that participation does not impact lawful firearm ownership. The VA would need to submit annual reports to Congress detailing implementation efforts, including the number of lockboxes distributed and any obstacles to reaching eligible veterans. The bill authorizes $5 million annually from 2026 through 2036 to support the program. Currently, the bill is under consideration by the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, which held hearings in December 2025.

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

Dec 10, 2025

HearingSenateMeeting

Dec 10, 2025 · 21:00

Hearings to examine S.342, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize an individual who is awarded the Purple Heart for service in the Armed Forces to transfer unused Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to a family member, S.668, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Office of Falls Prevention of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.926, 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, S.1116, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the provision of certain additional burial benefits for individuals for whom an urn or plaque is furnished, S.1657, to amend title 38, United States Code, to limit the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to deny the claim of a veteran for benefits under the laws administered by such Secretary on the sole basis that such veteran failed to appear for a medical examination associated with such claim, S.1665, to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure veterans of secrecy oath programs receive the full benefits they have earned, S.1868, to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand access by veterans to critical access hospitals and affiliated clinics under the Veterans Community Care Program, S.1992, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the efficiency of adjudications and appeals of claims for benefits under laws administered by Secretary of Veterans Affairs, S.2061, to require the Interagency Working Group on Toxic Exposure to conduct research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of descendants of individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the Armed Forces, S.2220, to expand presumptions of exposure by members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances, S.2264, to improve the emergency management capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.2309, to direct a physician or nurse practitioner employed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certify the death of a veteran not later than 48 hours after such physician or nurse practitioner learns of such death, S.2328, to authorize the use of veterans educational assistance for examinations and assessments to receive credit toward degrees awarded by institutions of higher learning, S.2333, to require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit supplementation of health records of deceased veterans, S.2397, to require implementation by the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs of certain recommendations relating to the provision of health care through community care providers, S.2683, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer, S.2737, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement a pilot program to furnish hyperbaric oxygen therapy to certain veterans through community care providers, S.2807, to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the applicability of the authority to reconsider decisions of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or the Secretary of the Army to inter remains or honor the memory of a person in a national cemetery, S.3033, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish partnerships between medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and medical facilities in rural areas, S.3119, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make temporary lodging facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs available for members of the Armed Forces, other individuals on active duty, and family members of such individuals on a space-available basis, S.3303, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to establish or enhance a community integration platform for services for veterans, to require the collection from veterans of information related to social determinants of health, an original bill entitled, "Sharing Essential Resources for Veterans Everywhere (SERVE) Act', an original bill entitled, "Commission on Equity and Reconciliation in the Uniformed Services Act", and an original bill entitled, "Get Justice Involved Veterans BACK HOME Act".

Committee

Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

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Summary

The Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a hearing on December 11, 2025, to examine 27 bills aimed at improving various veteran benefits and services. The bills covered a broad range of topics including allowing Purple Heart recipients to transfer educational benefits to family members, establishing a VA Office of Falls Prevention, creating a firearm secure storage program for veterans, expanding burial benefits, improving the efficiency of benefits claims processing, ensuring veterans in secrecy oath programs receive earned benefits, expanding access to critical access hospitals, and addressing toxic exposure research for descendants of exposed service members. The hearing also addressed emergency management capabilities at the VA, death certification procedures, educational assistance for examinations, veteran fraud prevention, hyperbaric oxygen therapy access, rural veteran partnerships, temporary lodging for service members, and community integration platforms for veteran services. No witnesses were listed for this hearing, which examined legislation addressing multiple aspects of veteran healthcare, education, burial, and support services. The bills represent efforts to streamline VA operations, expand access to care in underserved areas, and provide additional benefits to veterans and their families. A hearing does not guarantee that any of these bills will advance to a vote or become law; the committee will need to determine which bills, if any, merit further consideration and action.

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Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025

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Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025

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Lifecycle of the Bill

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Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

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