1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers Act of 2017 or the PAWS Act of 2017 . 2. Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) According to the analysis of veteran suicide published by the Department of Veterans Affairs in August 2016 and titled Suicide Among Veterans and Other Americans — (A) an average of 20 veterans died by suicide each day in 2014; (B) mental health disorders, including major depression and other mood disorders, have been associated with increased risk for suicide; (C) since 2001, the proportion of users of the Veterans Health Administration with mental health conditions or substance use disorders has increased from approximately 27 percent in 2001 to more than 40 percent in 2014