Directs the Secretaries of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) to jointly establish the Wounded Warrior K-9 Corps program for the awarding of grants to nonprofits to assist them in establishing programs to provide assistance dogs to certain members of the Armed Forces and veterans who have certain disabilities. Defines the term "assistance dog" to mean a dog specifically trained to perform physical tasks to mitigate the effects of such a disability, except that such term does not include a dog specifically trained for comfort or personal defense.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3266 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3266
To establish a grant program to encourage the use of assistance dogs by
certain members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 20, 2009
Mr. Klein of Florida (for himself and Mr. Whitfield) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services,
and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a grant program to encourage the use of assistance dogs by
certain members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. WOUNDED WARRIOR K-9 CORPS.
(a) Grants Authorized.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations provided for such purpose, the Secretary of Defense and
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly establish a program, to
be known as the ``Wounded Warrior K-9 Corps'', to award competitive
grants to nonprofit organizations to assist such organizations in
planning, designing, establishing, and operating programs to provide
assistance dogs to covered members and veterans.
(b) Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--The recipient of a grant under this
section shall use the grant to carry out programs that provide
assistance dogs to covered members and veterans who have a
disability described in paragraph (2).
(2) Disability.--A disability described in this paragraph
is any of the following:
(A) Blindness or visual impairment.
(B) Loss of use of a limb, paralysis, or other
significant mobility issues.
(C) Loss of hearing.
(D) Traumatic brain injury.
(E) Post-traumatic stress disorder.
(F) Any other disability that the Secretary of
Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs consider
appropriate.
(c) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
title, a nonprofit organization shall submit an application to the
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may require. Such
application shall include--
(1) a proposal for the evaluation required by subsection
(d); and
(2) a description of--
(A) the training that will be provided by the
organization to covered members and veterans;
(B) the training of dogs that will serve as
assistance dogs;
(C) the aftercare services that the organization
will provide for such dogs and covered members and
veterans;
(D) the plan for publicizing the availability of
such dogs through a targeted marketing campaign to
covered members and veterans;
(E) the recognized expertise of the organization in
breeding and training such dogs;
(F) the commitment of the organization to
comparable standards as that of the International Guide
Dog Federation or Assistance Dogs International;
(G) the commitment of the organization to humane
standards for animals; and
(H) the experience of the organization with working
with military medical treatment facilities or medical
facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(d) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall require each recipient of a
grant to use a portion of the funds made available through the grant to
conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the activities carried
out through the grant by such recipient.
(e) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) The term ``assistance dog'' means a dog specifically
trained to perform physical tasks to mitigate the effects of a
disability described in subsection (b)(2), except that the term
does not include a dog specifically trained for comfort or
personal defense.
(2) The term ``covered members and veterans'' means--
(A) with respect to a member of the Armed Forces,
such member who is--
(i) receiving medical treatment,
recuperation, or therapy under chapter 55 of
title 10, United States Code;
(ii) in medical hold or medical holdover
status; or
(iii) covered under section 1202 or 1205 of
title 10, United States Code; and
(B) with respect to a veteran, a veteran who is
enrolled in the health care system established under
section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2010 through 2014.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to House Armed Services
Referred to House Veterans' Affairs
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
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