,i  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #bbbe  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,april #bh1 #bjag,mr4 
,/iv]s 7= himself & ,mr4 ,walz7         
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a 
,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs to c>ry out a pilot   
program on dog tra9+ !rapy4  #a4 ,%ort  
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans
 ,dog ,tra9+ ,!rapy ,act4  #b4 ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,vet]ans ,affairs pilot program on   
dog tra9+ !rapy  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,comm5c+ n
 lat] ?an #abj days aft] ! date ( !     
enactm5t ( ! ,act1 ! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs %all c>ry out a pilot 
program "u :i* ! ,secret>y %all ent]    
into a contract ) "o or m appropriate   
non-gov]nm5t entities = ! purpose (     
assess+ ! effectiv5ess ( address+       
po/-deploym5t m5tal heal? &             
po/-traumatic /ress disord] symptoms    
?r\gh a !rapeutic m$ium ( tra9+ s]vice  
dogs = vet]ans ) disabilities4 ,su*     
program %all be c>ri$ out ?r\gh ! ,c5t] 

= ,compassionate ,innovation ( !        
,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration ( !       
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4  7b7     
,duration ( pilot program ,! pilot      
program requir$ by subsection 7a7 %all  
be c>ri$ out dur+ ! five-ye> p]iod      
beg9n+ on ! date ( ! comm5cem5t ( !     
pilot program4  7c7 ,locations ( pilot  
program ,9 ent]+ into contracts =       
purposes ( ! pilot program1 ! ,secret>y 
%all seek to ent] into contracts )      
appropriate non-gov]nm5t entities locat$
 9 close proximity to at lea/ ?ree b n m
 ?an five m$ical c5t]s ( ! ,dep>tm5t4   
7d7 ,appropriate non-,gov]nm5t entities 
,= purposes ( ! pilot program1 an       
appropriate non-gov]nm5t entity is an   
entity t is c]tifi$ 9 ! tra9+ & h&l+ (  
s]vice dogs4  7e7 ,tra9+ area ,!        
,secret>y %all provide to a non-gov]nm5t
 entity ) :i* ! ,secret>y ent]s into a  
contract "u ?is section access to a     
tra9+ area 9 a facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t t 
w\ld be appropriate = use 9 educat+     
vet]ans ) m5tal heal? conditions 9 ! art

 & sci5ce ( s]vice dog tra9+ & h&l+4    
,su* tra9+ area %all--  7#a7 include a  
d$icat$ space t is suitable = groom+ &  
tra9+ dogs indoors2  7#b7 be :eel*air   
accessible2  7#c7 include classroom or  
lecture space2  7#d7 include (fice space
 = /aff2  7#e7 include a suitable space 
= /or+ tra9+ equipm5t2  7#f7 provide =  
p]iodic use ( o!r tra9+ areas = tra9+ ! 
dogs ) :eel*airs & conduct+ o!r         
ex]cises2  7#g7 include outdoor ex]cise 
& toilet+ space = dogs2 &  7#h7 provide 
transportation = weekly field trips to  
tra9 dogs 9 o!r environm5ts4  7f7       
,design ( pilot program ,ea* contract   
ent]$ into "u subsection 7a7 %all       
provide t ! non-gov]nm5t entity %all--  
7#a7 employ at lea/ "o p]son ) cl9ical  
exp]i5ce relat$ to m5tal heal?2  7#b7   
ensure t vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 ! program 
receive tra9+ f c]tifi$ s]vice dog tra9+
 in/ructors2  7#c7 ensure t ea* s]vice  
dog 9 tra9+ p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program
 is taught all ess5tial comm&s p]ta9+ to
 s]vice dog skills2  7#d7 ensure t !    

pilot program involves bo? lecture (    
s]vice dog tra9+ me?odologies &         
practical h&s-on tra9+ & groom+ ( s]vice
 dogs2 &  7#e7 ensure t ! pilot program 
is design$ to--  7,a7 maximize !        
!rapeutic b5efits to vet]ans p>ticipat+ 
9 ! program2 &  7,b7 provide well-tra9$ 
s]vice dogs to vet]ans ) disabilities2 &
  7#f7 9 hir+ s]vice dog tra9+          
in/ructors to c>ry out tra9+ "u ! pilot 
program1 give a pref]5ce to vet]ans :o h
 successfully graduat$ f po/-traumatic  
/ress disord] or o!r resid5tial treatm5t
 programs & :o h receiv$ adequate       
c]tification 9 s]vice dog tra9+4  7g7   
,adm9i/ration ,9 ord] to c>ry out !     
pilot program "u section 7a71 !         
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all--    
7#a7 adm9i/] ! program ?r\gh ! ,c5t] =  
,compassionate ,innovation ( ! ,vet]ans 
,heal? ,adm9i/ration ( ! ,dep>tm5t 9    
collaboration ) ! ,recreation ,!rapy    
,s]vice ( ! ,dep>tm5t "u ! direction ( a
 c]tifi$ recreational !rapi/ ) suffici5t
 adm9i/rative exp]i5ce to help ov]see ! 

pilot program2 &  7#b7 e/abli% a        
director ( !rapeutic s]vice dog tra9+ ) 
a backgr\nd work+ 9 social s]vices1     
exp]i5ce 9 tea*+ o!rs to tra9 s]vice    
dogs 9 a vocational sett+1 & at lea/ "o 
ye> ( exp]i5ce work+ ) vet]ans or active
 duty s]vice memb]s ) po/-traumatic     
/ress disord] 9 a cl9ical sett+4  7h7   
,vet]an eligibility ,! ,secret>y %all   
select vet]ans = p>ticipation 9 ! pilot 
program4 ,a vet]an ) po/-traumatic /ress
 disord] or o!r po/-deploym5t m5tal     
heal? condition may volunte] to         
p>ticipate 9 ! pilot program1 if !      
,secret>y det]m9es t !re are adequate   
program res\rces available = su* vet]an 
at ! pilot program site4 ,vet]ans may   
p>ticipate 9 ! pilot program 9          
conjunction ) ! comp5sat$ "w !rapy      
program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs4  7i7 ,collection ( data ,!    
,secret>y %all collect data on ! pilot  
program requir$ "u subsection 7a7 to    
det]m9e h[ effective ! program is = !   
vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 ! program4 ,su*    

data %all include data to det]m9e h[    
effectively ! program assi/s vet]ans 9--
  7#a7 r$uc+ /igma associat$ )          
po/-traumatic /ress disord] or o!r      
po/-deploym5t m5tal heal? condition2    
7#b7 improv+ emotional regulation2  7#c7
 improv+ pati5ce2  7#d7 in/ill+ or      
re-e/abli%+ a s5se ( purpose2  7#e7     
provid+ an opportunity to help fell[    
vet]ans2  7#f7 re9tegrat+ into !        
community2  7#g7 expos+ ! dog to new    
environm5ts & 9 do+ s1 help+ ! vet]an   
r$uce social isolation & )drawal2  7#h7 
build+ relation%ip skills1 includ+ p>5t+
 skills2  7#i7 relax+ ! hyp]-vigilant   
survival /ate2  7#aj7 improv+ sleep     
patt]ns2 &  7#aa7 enabl+ vet]ans to     
decrease ! use ( pa9 m$ication4  7j7    
,reports to ,congress ,n lat] ?an "o ye>
 aft] ! date ( ! comm5cem5t ( ! pilot   
program "u subsection 7a71 & ea* ye>    
!reaft] = ! duration ( ! pilot program1 
! ,secret>y %all submit to ,congress a  
report on ! pilot program4 ,ea* su*     
report %all include--  7#a7 ! numb] (   

vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program2   
7#b7 a description ( ! s]vices c>ri$ out
 "u ! pilot program2  7#c7 ! effects t  
p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program has on !   
foll[+-- 7,a7 symptoms ( po/-traumatic  
/ress disord] & po/-deploym5t adju/m5t  
difficulties1 includ+ depression1       
ma9t5ance ( sobriety1 suicidal          
ideations1 & homelessness2  7,b7        
pot5tially relevant physiological m>k]s 
t possibly relate to ! int]actions ) !  
s]vice dogs2  7,c7 family dynamics2     
7,d7 insomnia & pa9 managem5t2 &  7,e7  
ov]all well-be+2 &  7#d7 !              
recomm5dations ( ! ,secret>y ) respect  
to ! ext5sion or expansion ( ! pilot    
program4  7k7 ,def9ition ,= ! purposes (
 ?is section1 ! t]m s]vice dog tra9+    
in/ructor means an in/ructor :o provides
 ! direct tra9+ ( vet]ans )             
po/-traumatic /ress disord] & o!r       
po/-deploym5t issues 9 ! art & sci5ce ( 
s]vice dog tra9+ & h&l+4