The "Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025" establishes a VA program providing eligible veterans with secure firearm storage options and education on safe storage practices for suicide prevention.
Angus King
Senator
ME
The "Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025" establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program to provide eligible veterans and certain other individuals with lockboxes or vouchers for secure firearm storage, along with information on safe storage practices. The VA will conduct outreach and public education campaigns, develop an informational video, and submit annual reports to Congress, while ensuring the program does not infringe upon lawful firearm ownership or create participant lists. This program is authorized to receive \$5,000,000 annually from 2026 to 2036.
Veterans Offered Free Gun Lockboxes Under New $5M Annual Safety Program Starting 2026
This bill, the "Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025," sets up a new voluntary program run by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) focused squarely on preventing veteran suicide through secure firearm storage. If enacted, the VA would receive $5 million annually from fiscal year 2026 through 2036 to provide eligible veterans with free lockboxes for firearms, or vouchers to get one. The goal is to offer a practical safety tool alongside information, without getting tangled up in gun rights debates.
More Than Just a Lockbox
So, what's actually being offered? Eligible veterans (and certain others covered under existing VA definitions) can get a lockbox that meets specific standards – notably, it has to be made in the U.S. and isn't meant for resale. Alternatively, they can get a voucher for an equivalent item. Alongside the hardware, the VA is required to provide information on why secure storage matters for safety and suicide prevention. They'll partner with organizations already working in this space and launch a public education campaign to get the word out. This includes creating an informational video specifically framing secure storage as a suicide prevention tactic. Think of it as adding another tool to the mental health and safety toolkit available to veterans.
No Strings Attached: Protecting Privacy and Rights
The bill is very clear about what this program won't do, addressing potential concerns head-on. Participation is entirely voluntary. The VA is explicitly forbidden from using this program to: collect personal info to track who owns firearms, require any kind of gun registration, mandate how firearms must be stored, prohibit or discourage lawful gun ownership, or even keep a list of who participates. The message is clear: this is about providing a resource for those who want it, focused on safety and suicide prevention, period. The VA also has to report to Congress annually on how the program is running, starting October 1, 2025.
The Bottom Line
This legislation carves out a specific, funded initiative aimed at reducing veteran suicide by promoting secure firearm storage. It provides a tangible resource – the lockbox – and educational materials, while building in safeguards to ensure it doesn't infringe on Second Amendment rights or create privacy concerns for veterans choosing to participate. It’s a targeted approach trying to address a critical issue within the veteran community by offering a practical safety measure.