,,ii  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #ebb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #aa1 #bjac ,mr4   
,durb9 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,blum5?al1 &    
,mr4 ,h>k97 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i*
 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee  
on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
require ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 
to aw>d grants to e/abli%1 or exp& ^u1  
ma/]'s degree or doctoral degree        
programs 9 or?otics & pro/hetics1 & =   
o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act
 may be cit$ z ! ,w\nd$ ,w>rior ,work=ce
 ,enhancem5t ,act4  #b4 ,or?otics &     
,pro/hetics ,education ,improvem5t  7a7 
,grants requir$  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!       
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all aw>d 
grants to eligible in/itutions to enable
 ! eligible in/itutions--  7,a7 to      
e/abli% a ma/]'s degree or doctoral     
degree program 9 or?otics & pro/hetics2 
or  7,b7 to exp& ^u an exi/+ ma/]'s     
degree program 9 or?otics & pro/hetics1 
includ+ by admitt+ m /ud5ts1 fur!r tra9+
 faculty1 exp&+ facilities1 or increas+ 

coop]ation ) ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs & ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se4  7#b7 
,priority ,! ,secret>y %all give        
priority 9 ! aw>d ( grants "u ?is       
section to eligible in/itutions t h     
ent]$ into a p>tn]%ip ) a m$ical c5t] or
 cl9ic adm9i/]$ by ! ,dep>tm5t (        
,vet]ans ,affairs or a facility adm9i/]$
 by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1 includ+ by   
provid+ cl9ical rotations at su* m$ical 
c5t]1 cl9ic1 or facility4  7#c7 ,grant  
am\nts ,grants aw>d$ "u ?is section %all
 be 9 am\nts ( n less ?an #a1jjj1jjj & n
 m ?an #a1ejj1jjj4  7b7 ,reque/s =      
proposals  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #ij
 days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is    
,act & annually !reaft] = two ye>s1 !   
,secret>y %all issue a reque/ =         
proposals f eligible in/itutions =      
grants "u ?is section4  7#b7 ,proposals 
,an eligible in/itution t seeks ! aw>d (
 a grant "u ?is section %all submit an  
application !re= to ! ,secret>y at su*  
"t1 9 su* mann]1 & accompani$ by su*    
in=mation z ! ,secret>y may require1    

includ+--  7,a7 demon/ration ( a        
will+ness & ability to p>ticipate 9 a   
p>tn]%ip describ$ 9 subsection 7a77#b72 
&  7,b7 a commitm5t1 & demon/ration ( an
 ability1 to ma9ta9 an accr$it$ or?otics
 & pro/hetics education program aft] !  
end ( ! grant p]iod4  7c7 ,grant uses   
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,an eligible in/itution   
aw>d$ a grant "u ?is section %all use   
grant am\nts to c>ry out any ( ! foll[+3
  7,a7 ,build+ new or exp&+ exi/+       
or?otics & pro/hetics ma/]'s or doctoral
 programs4  7,b7 ,tra9+ doctoral        
c&idates 9 fields relat$ to or?otics &  
pro/hetics to prep>e !m to in/ruct 9    
or?otics & pro/hetics programs4  7,c7   
,tra9+ faculty 9 or?otics & pro/hetics  
education or relat$ fields = ! purpose (
 in/ruction 9 or?otics & pro/hetics     
programs4  7,d7 ,sal>y supplem5tation = 
faculty 9 or?otics & pro/hetics         
education4  7,e7 ,f9ancial aid t all[s  
eligible in/itutions to admit additional
 /ud5ts to /udy or?otics & pro/hetics4  
7,f7 ,fund+ faculty rese>* projects or  

faculty "t to und]take rese>* 9 ! areas 
( or?otics & pro/hetics = ! purpose (   
fur!r+ _! tea*+ abilities4  7,g7        
,r5ovation ( build+s or m9or con/ruction
 to h\se or?otics & pro/hetics education
 programs4  7,h7 ,pur*as+ equipm5t =    
or?otics & pro/hetics education4  7#b7  
,limitation on con/ruction ,an eligible 
in/itution aw>d$ a grant "u ?is section 
may use n m ?an #ej p]c5t ( ! grant     
am\nt to c>ry out p>agraph 7#a77;,g74   
7#c7 ,admissions pref]5ce ,an eligible  
in/itution aw>d$ a grant "u ?is section 
%all give pref]5ce 9 admission to !     
or?otics & pro/hetics ma/]'s or doctoral
 programs to vet]ans1 to ! ext5t        
practicable4  7#d7 ,p]iod ( use ( funds 
,an eligible in/itution aw>d$ a grant "u
 ?is section may use ! grant funds = a  
p]iod ( ?ree ye>s aft] ! aw>d ( ! grant4
  7d7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3  7#a7 
,! t]m eligible in/itution means an     
educational in/itution t (f]s an        
or?otics & pro/hetics education program 
t--  7,a7 is accr$it$ by ! ,national    

,commission on ,or?otic & ,pro/hetic    
,education 9 coop]ation ) ! ,commission 
on ,accr$itation ( ,alli$ ,heal?        
,education ,programs 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is   
section z ! ,national ,commission72 or  
7,b7 demon/rates an ability to meet !   
accr$itation requirem5ts = or?otic &    
pro/hetic education f ! ,national       
,commission if ! in/itution receives a  
grant "u ?is section4  7#b7 ,! t]m      
vet]an has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section 
#aja ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  
7e7 ,au?orization ( appropriations  7#a7
 ,9 g5]al ,!re is au?oriz$ to be        
appropriat$ = fiscal ye> #bjad = !      
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1          
#ae1jjj1jjj to c>ry out ?is section4 ,! 
am\nt s au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ %all 
rema9 available = obligation until      
,septemb] #cj1 #bjaf4  7#b7 ,unobligat$ 
am\nts to be return$ to ! treasury ,any 
am\nts au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ by    
p>agraph 7#a7 t are n obligat$ by !     
,secret>y z ( ,septemb] #cj1 #bjaf1 %all
 be return$ to ! ,treasury ( ! ,unit$   

,/ates4  #c4 ,c5t] ( ,excell5ce 9       
,or?otic & ,pro/hetic ,education  7a7   
,grant = e/abli%m5t ( c5t]  7#a7 ,9     
g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
%all aw>d a grant to an eligible        
in/itution to enable ! eligible         
in/itution to--  7,a7 e/abli% ! ,c5t] ( 
,excell5ce 9 ,or?otic & ,pro/hetic      
,education 7h]eaft] 9 ?is section ref]r$
 to z ! ,c5t]72 &  7,b7 enable !        
eligible in/itution to improve or?otic &
 pro/hetic outcomes = vet]ans1 memb]s ( 
! ,arm$ ,=ces1 & civilians by conduct+  
evid5ce-bas$ rese>* on--  7i7 ! k1      
skills1 & tra9+ mo/ ne$$ by cl9ical     
pr(essionals 9 ! field ( or?otics &     
pro/hetics2 &  7ii7 h[ to mo/           
effectively prep>e cl9ical pr(essionals 
to provide effective1 high-quality      
or?otic & pro/hetic c>e4  7#b7 ,priority
 ,! ,secret>y %all give priority 9 !    
aw>d ( a grant "u ?is section to an     
eligible in/itution t has 9 =ce1 or     
demon/rates ! will+ness & ability to    
ent] into1 a memor&a ( und]/&+ ) !      

,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,def5se1 or o!r appropriate ,gov]nm5t
 ag5cy1 or a coop]ative agreem5t ) an   
appropriate private sector entity1 :i*  
memor&um ( und]/&+ or coop]ative        
agreem5t provides = ei!r1 or bo?1 ( !   
foll[+3  7,a7 ,! provision ( res\rces1  
:e!r 9 ca% or 9 k9d1 to ! ,c5t]4  7,b7  
,to assi/ ! ,c5t] 9 rese>* & !          
dissem9ation ( ! results ( su* rese>*4  
7#c7 ,grant am\nt ,! grant aw>d$ "u ?is 
section %all be 9 ! am\nt ( #e1jjj1jjj4 
7b7 ,reque/s = proposals  7#a7 ,9 g5]al 
,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date ( !    
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all   
issue a reque/ = proposals f eligible   
in/itutions = a grant "u ?is section4   
7#b7 ,proposals ,an eligible in/itution 
t seeks ! aw>d ( ! grant "u ?is section 
%all submit an application !re= to !    
,secret>y at su* "t1 9 su* mann]1 &     
accompani$ by su* in=mation z !         
,secret>y may require4  7c7 ,grant uses 
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! eligible in/itution    
aw>d$ ! grant "u ?is section %all use ! 

grant am\nt = purposes z foll[s3  7,a7  
,to develop an ag5da = or?otics &       
pro/hetics education rese>*4  7,b7 ,to  
fund rese>* 9 ! area ( or?otics &       
pro/hetics education4  7,c7 ,to publi%  
or o!rwise dissem9ate rese>* f9d+s      
relat+ to or?otics & pro/hetics         
education4  7#b7 ,p]iod ( use ( funds ,!
 eligible in/itution aw>d$ ! grant "u   
?is section may use ! grant am\nt = a   
p]iod ( five ye>s aft] ! aw>d ( ! grant4
  7d7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3  7#a7 
,! t]m eligible in/itution means an     
educational in/itution t--  7,a7 has a  
robu/ rese>* program2  7,b7 (f]s an     
or?otics & pro/hetics education program 
t is accr$it$ by ! ,national ,commission
 on ,or?otic & ,pro/hetic ,education 9  
coop]ation ) ! ,commission on           
,accr$itation ( ,alli$ ,heal? ,education
 ,programs2  7,c7 is well recogniz$ 9 ! 
field ( or?otics & pro/hetics education2
 &  7,d7 has an e/abli%$ association )--
  7i7 a m$ical c5t] or cl9ic ( !        
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs2 &  7ii7 a

 local rehabilitation hospital4  7#b7 ,!
 t]m vet]an has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9    
section #aja ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates 
,code4  7e7 ,au?orization (             
appropriations ,!re is au?oriz$ to be   
appropriat$ = fiscal ye> #bjad = !      
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1          
#e1jjj1jjj to c>ry out ?is section4