HR-10295-119
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Sponsored by Lori Trahan (D-MA)
What it does
This bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to let the Department of Health and Human Services award grants to new or existing crisis call centers serving regional or local areas that are part of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline network. Grant funds could be used to buy or upgrade call center technology, train staff, improve operations, and hire additional staff. It authorizes $441,000,000 for fiscal year 2027, available until the funds are spent.
Who benefits
Local and regional 988 crisis call centers seeking upgrades or expanded staffing, call center employees and new hires, and people in crisis who call 988 and may experience shorter wait times or better-trained responders. States and localities with underfunded call centers, and technology vendors that supply call center equipment, would also benefit.
Who is hurt
No group is directly and negatively affected by the grant program itself; the main tradeoff is opportunity cost, since the $441 million in federal spending could otherwise fund other health programs or reduce the deficit. Call centers that do not apply for or receive grants would see no relative improvement, and taxpayers bear the cost of the appropriation.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that the 988 Lifeline has seen call volume surge since its 2022 launch, and that many regional and local call centers lack the staffing, technology, and training funds to keep pace with demand, leading to longer wait times or dropped calls during mental health crises. They contend that targeted grants directly address these operational gaps, potentially saving lives by ensuring calls are answered quickly by trained staff.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that adding $441 million in new appropriations without offsetting cuts increases federal spending and that Congress should demand stronger accountability metrics before expanding grant funding to local centers. They contend that crisis call center funding and standards vary widely by state, and that a federal grant program risks uneven allocation or duplicative funding for centers that already receive state or local support.
Constitutional context
Congress is exercising its Taxing and Spending Clause authority (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1) to appropriate funds for a grant program administered by HHS; this is a well-established use of the spending power and does not resemble the coercive conditions on states at issue in NFIB v. Sebelius (2012).
Checks and balances
Congress authorizes the appropriation and defines the grant program's scope, while HHS (an executive branch agency) would gain authority to select grantees and administer funds, subject to congressional oversight and future appropriations decisions.
Historical precedent
This builds directly on the 2020 National Suicide Hotline Designation Act and subsequent funding for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which established federal support for crisis call centers.