Victor Valley Times

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Jay Obernolte's (R-CA) 9-8-8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act has successfully passed the House on March 5, 2024. The bill aims to enhance cybersecurity measures at the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline after a cyberattack on system operator Intrado in December of 2022.

"Any outage of the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, even for a few hours, can cost American lives," emphasized Rep. Obernolte regarding the critical importance of securing the lifeline service. "It's critical that we mitigate the risk of future disruptions to the service and take steps to resolve cybersecurity vulnerabilities that could put the Lifeline at risk. I'm proud to see this legislation pass the House with unanimous support."

The 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which was launched as an enhanced version of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, plays a crucial role in suicide prevention across the nation. H.R. 498, the 9-8-8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act, aims to ensure better coordination and reporting on potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities within the lifeline system to prevent future cyberattacks and maintain uninterrupted services.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are approximately 135 suicides every day in the United States. The CDC's latest report highlighted 49,449 suicide deaths in 2022, translating to one death every 11 minutes. Alarmingly, the suicide rate among veterans was 57.3% higher than that of non-veteran adults in 2020, with suicide ranking as the second leading cause of death for veterans under age 45.

Youth and young adults aged 10-24 also face significant challenges, accounting for 15% of all suicides. The suicide rates in this age group have surged by 52.2% between 2000-2021, positioning suicide as the second leading cause of death for these individuals.

The passage of the 9-8-8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act marks a crucial step in safeguarding the well-being of individuals in crisis and ensuring the continuous operation of the lifeline service in times of need.