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National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2018

Public Law 115-233 · H.R. 2345 · 115th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Donald Trump (R) on Aug 14, 2018 · Science, Technology, Communications

Sponsor: Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT-2)

Cosponsors (115): Rep. Eddie Johnson,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 379 yea, 1 nay379–1
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2018

(Sec. 3) This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to coordinate with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a study that: (1) examines the feasibility of designating a three-digit dialing code (N11 dialing code) for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system; and (2) analyzes the effectiveness of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) as of the date on which the study is initiated, including how well it addresses the needs of veterans.

To assist the FCC in conducting the study, SAMHSA shall analyze and report to the FCC on: (1) the potential impact of such designation of a dialing code on suicide prevention, crisis services, and other suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotlines; and (2) possible recommendations for improving the NSPL generally. The VA shall study and report to the FCC on how well the NSPL and the Veterans Crisis Line are working to address the needs of veterans.

The FCC, in coordination with SAMHSA and the VA, shall report on the study to specified congressional committees.

(Sec. 4) No additional funds are authorized to carry out this bill.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 115th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 379 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

379 yea1 nay48 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(168)

Republicans who voted yea(211)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1073 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • S. 1015Identical bill

    National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2017

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.

  1. Aug 14, 2018Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 115-233.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Aug 3, 2018FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Aug 2, 2018FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  5. Aug 1, 2018FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  6. Jul 24, 2018CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
  7. Jul 23, 2018FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  8. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 379 - 1 (Roll no. 366).House roll call 366
  9. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  10. FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  11. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2345.
  12. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  13. FloorFloor · Mr. Lance moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  14. Jul 18, 2018CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 646.
  15. CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 115-836.
  16. Jul 12, 2018CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  18. Jun 13, 2018CommitteeCommittee · Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
  19. CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  20. May 5, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
  21. May 3, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
  22. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

No amendments to this bill are on record.

Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.