This Act establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs program to furnish eligible veterans with U.S.-made, secure firearm storage lockboxes or vouchers, alongside educational materials promoting suicide prevention.
Chris Deluzio
Representative
PA-17
The Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025 establishes a new Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program to provide eligible veterans and former service members with secure, U.S.-made firearm storage lockboxes or vouchers. This initiative aims to promote safe firearm storage as a suicide prevention measure through distribution and public awareness campaigns. The law explicitly states that participation will not affect an individual's legal right to own firearms or require any form of firearm registration.
VA to Furnish Free, US-Made Secure Gun Storage to Veterans Under New Program
The Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025 directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to launch a new program providing eligible veterans with resources to safely store their firearms. Essentially, the VA will now offer veterans either a secure lockbox or a voucher to obtain one, aiming to promote safety and reduce suicide risk among the veteran community.
The VA’s New Safety Toolkit
This isn’t just a simple handout. The bill mandates that the VA Secretary establish a program where veterans can request a “covered item”—a lockbox specifically designed for secure storage of a firearm and ammunition. These lockboxes must meet some pretty specific standards: they need to prevent unauthorized access, open only with a key or combination, and meet the industry standard ASTM F2456-20. Crucially, the bill specifies that these items must be manufactured right here in the United States. If you’re a veteran, you’re eligible for this program, which will also include educational materials on why secure storage matters. The VA is authorized to spend $5 million annually from 2026 through 2036 to make this happen.
Suicide Prevention Meets Practical Safety
One of the clearest goals of this legislation is connecting secure storage with suicide prevention. The VA is required to work with veteran suicide prevention groups to create an informational video explaining how secure storage can save lives, which must be posted online. For the everyday veteran, this means access to a free, high-quality safety device, plus clear information on why having that device secured is a critical step in self-care and family safety. Think of it as the VA providing the tools needed to create a safer environment during a crisis, without having to spend money out of pocket.
No Lists, No Mandates: Addressing Privacy Concerns
For many gun owners, the biggest question is always about privacy and registration. The bill is very clear on this point, explicitly stating what the program will not do. It cannot be used to collect personal information about participants to track who owns guns. It absolutely does not require mandatory firearm storage for anyone, nor does it force firearm registration with any government entity. The VA must run a public awareness campaign that makes it clear that participating in this program will not mess with a veteran’s legal right to own a firearm. This is a voluntary safety program, not a regulatory one, and the bill goes out of its way to ensure that.
Tracking the Rollout
To keep things transparent, the VA must report back to Congress annually. These reports aren’t just bureaucratic paperwork; they need to detail exactly how many lockboxes and vouchers were distributed, how many vouchers were actually redeemed, and what outreach efforts were made to veterans who aren't currently enrolled in the VA system. This mandatory reporting means we, the public, will get a clear picture of whether the program is actually reaching the veterans who need it and how effective the VA’s outreach is. It’s a built-in accountability check to ensure the $5 million a year is spent effectively on saving lives.