,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ccce ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #bj1 #bjag,mr4 ,bilirakis 7for himself and ,mr4 ,cuellar7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to carry out a pilot program to enter into contracts with qualified nonprofit organizations to provide service dogs to eligible veterans with a mental health mobility disorder related to post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injury1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,pups for ,patriots ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,according to the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs about #aa to #bj of every #ajj veterans 7#aa to #bj percent7 who served in ,operation ,iraqi ,freedom or in ,operation ,enduring ,freedom are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress4 7#b7 ,the invisible wounds of war1 including post-traumatic stress1 can cause debilitating symptoms in veterans leading to depression1 social isolation1 and suicide4 7#c7 ,studies and first-hand accounts demonstrate that service dogs provide support to veterans by mitigating their disability1 allowing for professional and social reintegration4 7#d7 ,service dogs reduce stress and anxiety levels1 ease depression1 provide comfort1 and restore confidence in affected veterans4 7#e7 ,currently1 waiting lists for service dogs average between #ah and #bd months1 with intensive compulsory training costing an average of #be1jjj per service dog4 7#f7 ,the estimated cost of owning a service dog once adopted is #a1bjj to #a1fjj per year for food1 supplies1 and general veterinary health care4 #c4 ,pilot program 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall carry out a pilot program under which the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 enter into contracts with qualified nonprofit organizations for the provision of service dogs to eligible veterans1 including the procurement1 training1 and evaluation of each such service dog2 7#b7 ensure that each dog provided as a service dog under the program meets the standards described in section #d7;b72 and 7#c7 provide veterinary insurance for each service dog provided to an eligible veteran pursuant to such a contract4 7b7 ,eligible veterans ,in this section1 an eligible veteran is a veteran who-- 7#a7 served on active duty in the ,armed ,forces on or after ,september #aa1 #bjja2 7#b7 has been diagnosed with severe or extreme post-traumatic stress or with a severe traumatic brain injury by a ,department of ,veterans ,affairs doctor or clinical social worker who has treated the veteran2 7#c7 has received evidence-based treatment and remains symptomatic of severe or extreme post-traumatic stress or severe traumatic brain injury1 as determined by the ,secretary or a ,department doctor or clinical social worker2 and 7#d7 commits to an evaluation by a ,department doctor or clinical social worker at a minimum of two times per year4 7c7 ,relationship to other benefits ,a service dog provided to a veteran pursuant to a contract under the pilot program shall be in addition to all other benefits and services for which the veteran is eligible under the laws administered by the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4 7d7 ,qualified nonprofit organizations ,for purposes of the pilot program under this section1 a qualified nonprofit organization is a nonprofit organization that the ,secretary determines adheres to the national standards for the selection1 training1 and assessment of service dogs for veterans described in section #d7;b74 7e7 ,annual reports to ,congress ,not later than one year after the date on which the pilot program commences1 and annually thereafter until the termination of the pilot program1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and ,house of ,representatives a report on the pilot program4 ,each such report shall include an evaluation of the pilot program based on-- 7#a7 an update on the nonprofit organizations with which the ,secretary has entered into a contract2 7#b7 summaries from the ,department doctors and clinical social workers who are evaluating the eligible veterans who receive service dogs under the pilot program2 and 7#c7 an analysis of each eligible veteran's ability to professionally and socially reintegrate1 to reduce dependence on prescriptive medications1 and on relevant metrics pertaining to the veteran's diagnosis of a mental health mobility disorder related to post-traumatic stress or a traumatic brain injury4 7f7 ,limitation on payment of expenses ,the contract between the ,secretary and a qualified nonprofit organization under this section shall not provide for a payment to the organization in an amount in excess of #be1jjj for each service dog provided under the contract1 including the procurement1 training1 and evaluation of the service dog4 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years #bjah through #bjbc #g1ejj1jjj to carry out the pilot program4 7h7 ,offset ,the amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated for the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,office of ,human ,resources and ,administration for each of fiscal years #bjah through #bjbc shall be reduced by #g1ejj1jjj4 7i7 ,termination ,the authority of the ,secretary to enter into a contract under this section shall terminate on the date that is five years after the date of enactment of this ,act4 #d4 ,national standards for selection1 training1 and assessment of service dogs 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,at a convening facilitated by the ,national ,association of ,veteran-,serving ,organizations1 a scientific advisory committee was formed and developed national standards on the selection1 training1 and assessment of service dogs to enhance public safety1 the humane treatment of service dogs1 and reliable task performance for veterans4 7#b7 ,the national standards are publically available and may be subject to revision following a sample study and an annual review by the scientific advisory committee4 7b7 ,standards ,the national standards for selection1 training1 and assessment of service dogs described in this section are the following3 7#a7 ,with respect to canine breed and size1 service dogs should not be restricted by breed or size as the needs of individual veterans vary according to mobility and lifestyle4 7#b7 ,with respect to canine selection and health-- 7,a7 breeds and lines within the breed should be evaluated to ensure a long service life for a working animal2 7,b7 service dog candidates should have a thorough examination performed by a veterinarian2 7,c7 examinations should include radiography of the hips and elbows as a predictor of future joint and arthritic issues1 and vision and hearing tests2 7,d7 service dogs should receive regular wellness exams and vaccinations as recommended by a veterinarian1 be on year-round internal and external parasite control2 and be spayed or neutered2 and 7,e7 service dog candidates should have a stable1 calm temperament4 7#c7 ,with respect to canine training tasks1 service dogs should be able to perform a minimum of two tasks that directly relate to the veteran's disability4 7#d7 ,with respect to canine training methods and equipment-- 7,a7 service dogs should perform tasks with alacrity and show a desire to work2 7,b7 training equipment used must be appropriate for the breed and dog1 fitted1 and used correctly2 and 7,c7 electronic collars are not acceptable as a humane training tool4 7#e7 ,with respect to handler training-- 7,a7 handlers should be educated on the fundamentals of dog care and the humane treatment of animals1 including health care1 nutritious diet1 regular exercise1 and the absence of physical pain and stress2 and 7,b7 handlers must be educated on legal rights according to the ,americans with ,disabilities ,act1 ,air ,carrier ,access ,act1 and ,fair ,housing ,act1 among others4 7#f7 ,with respect to service dog assessments1 service dogs and their respective veterans should be observed in action in a public settings that provide common distractions such as food1 noise1 crowds1 and other animals4 7#g7 ,with respect to the background and role of an assessor-- 7,a7 an assessor should support and coach the veteran to successfully partner with the veteran's service dog2 7,b7 an assessor should have a background in service dog training and evaluation and be experienced in working with persons with post-traumatic stress2 and 7,c7 an assessor should evaluate whether the service dog is temperamentally suitable for the work as a service dog4 7c7 ,service dog credential ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall issue to an eligible veteran who is provided a service dog under the pilot program under section #c with a national service dog credential if the veteran provides to the ,secretary each of the following3 7#a7 ,a certificate that the veteran has successfully completed an assessment that meets the criteria under subsection 7b77#f74 7#b7 ,proof of a diagnosis1 as described in section #c7;b77#b71 from a ,department doctor or clinical social worker4 7#c7 ,a note from a ,department doctor or clinical social worker that includes a recommendation that the veteran have a service dog4 7#d7 ,a copy of the vaccination records of the veteran's service dog and a note from the veterinarian who has treated the service dog affirming that the dog is healthy enough to be a service dog4 7#e7 ,a list of tasks prepared by whom that the service dog is able to perform that are directly related to the veteran's diagnosis as determined by the ,department doctor or clinical social worker who made the veteran's diagnosis4