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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8168 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8168
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to
establish, or expand upon, master's degree programs in orthotics and
prosthetics, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 30, 2024
Mr. Cartwright (for himself, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Norton, Mr. Cohen, Mr.
Gottheimer, Mr. Moylan, Mr. Ruiz, and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to
establish, or expand upon, master's degree programs in orthotics and
prosthetics, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Wounded Warrior Workforce
Enhancement Act''.
SEC. 2. ORTHOTICS AND PROSTHETICS EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT.
(a) Grants Required.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
award grants to eligible institutions to enable the eligible
institutions--
(A) to establish a master's degree program in
orthotics and prosthetics; or
(B) to expand upon an existing master's degree
program in orthotics and prosthetics, including by
admitting more students, further training faculty,
expanding facilities, or increasing cooperation with
the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department
of Defense.
(2) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority in the
award of grants under this section to eligible institutions
that have entered into an established association with a
medical center or clinic administered by the Department of
Veterans Affairs or a facility administered by the Department
of Defense, including by providing clinical rotations at such
medical center, clinic, or facility.
(3) Grant amounts.--Grants awarded under this section shall
be in amounts of not less than $1,000,000 and not more than
$1,500,000.
(b) Requests for Proposals.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than
annually thereafter for two years, the Secretary shall issue a
request for proposals from eligible institutions for grants
under this section.
(2) Proposals.--An eligible institution that seeks the
award of a grant under this section shall submit an application
therefor to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require,
including--
(A) demonstration of a willingness and ability to
participate in an established association described in
subsection (a)(2); and
(B) a commitment, and demonstration of an ability,
to maintain an accredited orthotics and prosthetics
education program after the end of the grant period.
(c) Grant Uses.--
(1) In general.--An eligible institution awarded a grant
under this section shall use grant amounts to carry out any of
the following:
(A) Building new or expanding existing orthotics
and prosthetics master's degree programs.
(B) Training doctoral candidates in fields related
to orthotics and prosthetics to prepare them to
instruct in orthotics and prosthetics programs.
(C) Training faculty in orthotics and prosthetics
education or related fields for the purpose of
instruction in orthotics and prosthetics programs.
(D) Salary supplementation for faculty in orthotics
and prosthetics education.
(E) Financial aid that allows eligible institutions
to admit additional students to study orthotics and
prosthetics, with a priority given to covered veterans.
(F) Funding faculty research projects or faculty
time to undertake research in the areas of orthotics
and prosthetics for the purpose of furthering their
teaching abilities.
(G) Renovation of buildings or minor construction
to house orthotics and prosthetics education programs.
(H) Purchasing equipment for orthotics and
prosthetics education.
(2) Limitation on construction.--An eligible institution
awarded a grant under this section may use not more than 50
percent of the grant amount to carry out paragraph (1)(G).
(3) Admissions preference.--An eligible institution awarded
a grant under this section shall give preference in admission
to the orthotics and prosthetics master's degree programs to
veterans, to the extent practicable.
(4) Financial aid preference.--An eligible institution
awarded a grant under this section shall give preference in
awarding financial aid to students in the orthotics and
prosthetics master's degree programs to covered veterans.
(5) Period of use of funds.--An eligible institution
awarded a grant under this section may use the grant amount for
a period of three years after the award of the grant.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``eligible institution'' means an educational
institution that offers an orthotics and prosthetics education
program that--
(A) is accredited by the Commission on
Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs in
cooperation with the National Commission on Orthotic
and Prosthetic Education; or
(B) demonstrates an ability to meet the
accreditation requirements for orthotic and prosthetic
education from the Commission on Accreditation of
Allied Health Education Programs in cooperation with
the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic
Education if the institution receives a grant under
this section.
(2) The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given that term in
section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
(3) The term ``covered veteran'' means a veteran with lived
experience with limb loss or mobility impairment.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated for
fiscal year 2025 for the Department of Veterans Affairs,
$15,000,000 to carry out this section. The amount so authorized
to be appropriated shall remain available for obligation until
September 30, 2027.
(2) Unobligated amounts to be returned to the treasury.--
Any amounts authorized to be appropriated by paragraph (1) that
are not obligated by the Secretary as of September 30, 2027,
shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States.
SEC. 3. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN ORTHOTIC AND PROSTHETIC EDUCATION.
(a) Grant for Establishment of Center.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
award a grant to an eligible institution to enable the eligible
institution--
(A) to establish the Center of Excellence in
Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (in this section
referred to as the ``Center''); and
(B) to enable the eligible institution to improve
orthotic and prosthetic outcomes for veterans, members
of the Armed Forces, and civilians by conducting
evidence-based research on--
(i) the knowledge, skills, and training
most needed by clinical professionals in the
field of orthotics and prosthetics; and
(ii) how to most effectively prepare
clinical professionals to provide effective,
high-quality orthotic and prosthetic care.
(2) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority in the
award of a grant under this section to an eligible institution
that has in force, or demonstrates the willingness and ability
to enter into, a memoranda of understanding with the Department
of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or other
appropriate Federal agency, or a cooperative agreement with an
appropriate private sector entity, which memorandum of
understanding or cooperative agreement provides for either, or
both, of the following:
(A) The provision of resources, whether in cash or
in-kind, to the Center.
(B) Assistance to the Center in conducting research
and disseminating the results of such research.
(3) Grant amount.--The grant awarded under this section
shall be in the amount of $5,000,000.
(b) Requests for Proposals.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue a request
for proposals from eligible institutions for the grant under
this section.
(2) Proposals.--An eligible institution that seeks the
award of the grant under this section shall submit an
application therefor to the Secretary at such time, in such
manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary
may require.
(c) Grant Uses.--
(1) In general.--The eligible institution awarded the grant
under this section shall use the grant amount as follows:
(A) To develop an agenda for orthotics and
prosthetics education research.
(B) To fund research in the area of orthotics and
prosthetics education.
(C) To publish or otherwise disseminate research
findings relating to orthotics and prosthetics
education.
(2) Period of use of funds.--The eligible institution
awarded the grant under this section may use the grant amount
for a period of five years after the award of the grant.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``eligible institution'' means an educational
institution that--
(A) has a robust research program;
(B) offers an orthotics and prosthetics education
program that is accredited by the Commission on
Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs in
cooperation with the National Commission on Orthotic
and Prosthetic Education;
(C) is well recognized in the field of orthotics
and prosthetics education; and
(D) has an established association with--
(i) a medical center or clinic of the
Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(ii) a local rehabilitation hospital.
(2) The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given that term in
section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated for fiscal year 2025 for the Department of Veterans
Affairs, $5,000,000 to carry out this section.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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