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Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2025

USA119th CongressHR-136| House 
| Updated: 2/3/2025
Vern Buchanan

Vern Buchanan

Republican Representative

Florida

Cosponsors (4)
Jefferson Van Drew (Republican)Eugene Simon Vindman (Democratic)Joe Neguse (Democratic)Gerald E. Connolly (Democratic)

Health Subcommittee, Veterans' Affairs Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This legislation mandates the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to engage the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine within 90 days of enactment. The National Academies will conduct an independent review of all suicides, violent deaths, and accidental deaths among veterans who received Department of Veterans Affairs care during the five-year period preceding the bill's enactment. The comprehensive review will examine various factors, including the total number of such deaths, demographic information, and a detailed analysis of prescribed medications , particularly those with black box warnings, off-label use, psychotropic effects, or suicidal ideation warnings. It will also investigate medical diagnoses from VA physicians that led to these prescriptions, focusing on conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, and other anxiety and depressive disorders. The review will assess instances of concurrent medication use and the utilization of non-medication first-line treatments. Furthermore, the review will scrutinize the Department's clinical practice guidelines for prescribing medications, its systematic measurement of pain scores, and efforts to maintain appropriate mental health staffing levels , including addressing impediments to hiring counselors and therapists. It will identify VA medical facilities with markedly high prescription and suicide rates and analyze collaboration with State Medicaid agencies and prescription drug monitoring programs to prevent overprescription. Finally, the National Academies will assess patterns, determine best practices for collecting and sharing veteran death certificate data, and provide recommendations to enhance veteran safety and well-being.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-100
Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2019

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-67
Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2021

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-4400
Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2023
Jan 3, 2025
Introduced in House
Jan 3, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Feb 3, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-100
    Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2019


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-67
    Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2021


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-4400
    Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2023


  • January 3, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • January 3, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • February 3, 2025
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Armed Forces and National Security

Department of Veterans AffairsDrug, alcohol, tobacco useDrug therapyDrug trafficking and controlled substancesFamily relationshipsGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsHealth facilities and institutionsHealth information and medical recordsHealth personnelHigher educationHospital careMarriage and family statusMedicaidMedical educationMedical researchMedical tests and diagnostic methodsMental healthNeurological disordersPrescription drugsVeterans' medical care

Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2025

USA119th CongressHR-136| House 
| Updated: 2/3/2025
This legislation mandates the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to engage the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine within 90 days of enactment. The National Academies will conduct an independent review of all suicides, violent deaths, and accidental deaths among veterans who received Department of Veterans Affairs care during the five-year period preceding the bill's enactment. The comprehensive review will examine various factors, including the total number of such deaths, demographic information, and a detailed analysis of prescribed medications , particularly those with black box warnings, off-label use, psychotropic effects, or suicidal ideation warnings. It will also investigate medical diagnoses from VA physicians that led to these prescriptions, focusing on conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, and other anxiety and depressive disorders. The review will assess instances of concurrent medication use and the utilization of non-medication first-line treatments. Furthermore, the review will scrutinize the Department's clinical practice guidelines for prescribing medications, its systematic measurement of pain scores, and efforts to maintain appropriate mental health staffing levels , including addressing impediments to hiring counselors and therapists. It will identify VA medical facilities with markedly high prescription and suicide rates and analyze collaboration with State Medicaid agencies and prescription drug monitoring programs to prevent overprescription. Finally, the National Academies will assess patterns, determine best practices for collecting and sharing veteran death certificate data, and provide recommendations to enhance veteran safety and well-being.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-100
Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2019

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-67
Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2021

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-4400
Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2023
Jan 3, 2025
Introduced in House
Jan 3, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Feb 3, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-100
    Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2019


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-67
    Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2021


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-4400
    Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2023


  • January 3, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • January 3, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • February 3, 2025
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Vern Buchanan

Vern Buchanan

Republican Representative

Florida

Cosponsors (4)
Jefferson Van Drew (Republican)Eugene Simon Vindman (Democratic)Joe Neguse (Democratic)Gerald E. Connolly (Democratic)

Health Subcommittee, Veterans' Affairs Committee

Armed Forces and National Security

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Department of Veterans AffairsDrug, alcohol, tobacco useDrug therapyDrug trafficking and controlled substancesFamily relationshipsGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsHealth facilities and institutionsHealth information and medical recordsHealth personnelHigher educationHospital careMarriage and family statusMedicaidMedical educationMedical researchMedical tests and diagnostic methodsMental healthNeurological disordersPrescription drugsVeterans' medical care