I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 792 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a grant program 
to facilitate the installation, on bridges, of evidence-based suicide deter-
rents, including suicide prevention nets and barriers, and for other pur-
poses. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 4, 2021 
Mr. BEYER (for himself, Mr. KATKO, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. FITZPATRICK, 
Mr. RASKIN, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. CLEAVER, Mrs. AXNE, Mr. 
LOWENTHAL, Mr. CARSON, Mr. TRONE, Mr. LAMB, Mr. COOPER, Mr. 
HARDER of California, Ms. WILD, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Mrs. CAROLYN 
B. MALONEY of New York, and Mr. HASTINGS) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a 
grant program to facilitate the installation, on bridges, 
of evidence-based suicide deterrents, including suicide 
prevention nets and barriers, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Barriers to Suicide 
Act of 2021’’. 
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SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans-
portation shall establish a program (in this section re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Program’’) to facilitate the installation 
of evidence-based suicide deterrents on bridges, including 
suicide prevention nets and barriers. 
(b) GRANT AUTHORITY.—In carrying out the Pro-
gram, the Secretary may make grants on a competitive 
basis in accordance with this section. 
(c) ELIGIBLE
RECIPIENTS.—The Secretary may 
make a grant under the Program to a State or a political 
subdivision of a State. 
(d) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 
the Program, an entity described in subsection (c) shall 
submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at 
such time, and containing such information as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate. 
(e) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—The Secretary may make 
a grant under the Program only for a project that facili-
tates the installation on a bridge of— 
(1) a suicide prevention net; 
(2) a suicide prevention barrier; or 
(3) any other evidence-based suicide deterrent 
that is determined by the Secretary to be appro-
priate. 
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(f) PRIORITY.—In making a grant under the Pro-
gram, the Secretary shall give priority to a project located 
in an area with a high rate of suicide or other priority 
characteristics, as determined by the Secretary. 
(g) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the cost 
of a project assisted with a grant under the Program may 
not exceed 80 percent. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each 
State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the 
United States, and each federally recognized Indian 
Tribe. 
(2) EVIDENCE-BASED SUICIDE DETERRENT.— 
The term ‘‘evidence-based suicide deterrent’’ means 
a suicide deterrent that demonstrates a rationale 
based on high-quality research findings or positive 
evaluation that such deterrent is likely to reduce or 
prevent suicide, and includes ongoing efforts to ex-
amine the effects of such deterrent. 
(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Program 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024. 
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SEC. 3. TITLE 23 AMENDMENTS. 
(a) NATIONAL
HIGHWAY
PERFORMANCE
PRO-
GRAM.—Section 119(d)(2)(I) of title 23, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘Highway System.’’ and 
adding ‘‘Highway System, including installation of safety 
barriers and nets on bridges of the National Highway Sys-
tem.’’. 
(b) SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANTS.— 
Section 133(b)(4) of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘crossings.’’ and adding ‘‘crossings 
and installation of safety barriers and nets on bridges.’’. 
SEC. 4. STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF SUICIDE PREVEN-
TION NETS AND BARRIERS FOR STRUCTURES 
OTHER THAN BRIDGES. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a study to identify— 
(1) the types of structures, other than bridges, 
that attract a high number of individuals attempting 
suicide-by-jumping; 
(2) the characteristics that distinguish struc-
tures identified under paragraph (1) from similar 
structures that do not attract a high number of indi-
viduals attempting suicide-by-jumping; 
(3) the types of nets or barriers that are effec-
tive at reducing suicide-by-jumping with respect to 
the structures identified under paragraph (1); 
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(4) methods of reducing suicide-by-jumping 
with respect to the structures identified under para-
graph (1) other than nets and barriers; 
(5) quantitative measures of the effectiveness of 
the nets and barriers identified under paragraph (3); 
(6) quantitative measures of the effectiveness of 
the additional methods identified under paragraph 
(4); 
(7) the entities that typically install the nets 
and barriers identified under paragraph (3); and 
(8) the costs of the nets and barriers identified 
under paragraph (3). 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure and the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a report on the results of the study conducted 
under subsection (a). 
Æ 
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