,i  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #ccce  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,july #bj1 #bjag,mr4  
,bilirakis 7= himself & ,mr4 ,cuell>7   
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 to ent] into contracts )        
qualifi$ nonpr(it organizations to      
provide s]vice dogs to eligible vet]ans 
) a m5tal heal? mobility disord] relat$ 
to po/-traumatic /ress or traumatic bra9
 injury1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort   
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,pups = 
,patriots ,act ( #bjag4  #b4 ,f9d+s     
,congress makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3  7#a7   
,accord+ to ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs ab\t #aa to #bj ( e #ajj       
vet]ans 7#aa to #bj p]c5t7 :o s]v$ 9    
,op]ation ,iraqi ,fre$om or 9 ,op]ation 
,endur+ ,fre$om are diagnos$ )          
po/-traumatic /ress4  7#b7 ,! invisible 
w\nds ( w>1 includ+ po/-traumatic /ress1
 c cause debilitat+ symptoms 9 vet]ans  

lead+ to depression1 social isolation1 &
 suicide4  7#c7 ,/udies & fir/-h&       
acc\nts demon/rate t s]vice dogs provide
 support to vet]ans by mitigat+ _!      
disability1 all[+ = pr(essional & social
 re9tegration4  7#d7 ,s]vice dogs r$uce 
/ress & anxiety levels1 ease depression1
 provide com=t1 & re/ore confid5ce 9    
affect$ vet]ans4  7#e7 ,curr5tly1 wait+ 
li/s = s]vice dogs av]age betwe5 #ah &  
#bd mon?s1 ) int5sive compulsory tra9+  
co/+ an av]age ( #be1jjj p] s]vice dog4 
7#f7 ,! e/imat$ co/ ( own+ a s]vice dog 
once adopt$ is #a1bjj to #a1fjj p] ye> =
 food1 supplies1 & g5]al vet]9>y heal?  
c>e4  #c4 ,pilot program  7a7 ,9 g5]al  
,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all   
c>ry out a pilot program "u :i* !       
,secret>y %all-- 7#a7 ent] into         
contracts ) qualifi$ nonpr(it           
organizations = ! provision ( s]vice    
dogs to eligible vet]ans1 includ+ !     
procurem5t1 tra9+1 & evaluation ( ea*   
su* s]vice dog2  7#b7 ensure t ea* dog  
provid$ z a s]vice dog "u ! program     

meets ! /&>ds describ$ 9 section #d7;b72
 &  7#c7 provide vet]9>y insurance = ea*
 s]vice dog provid$ to an eligible      
vet]an pursuant to su* a contract4  7b7 
,eligible vet]ans ,9 ?is section1 an    
eligible vet]an is a vet]an :o-- 7#a7   
s]v$ on active duty 9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces on  
or aft] ,septemb] #aa1 #bjja2  7#b7 has 
be5 diagnos$ ) sev]e or extreme         
po/-traumatic /ress or ) a sev]e        
traumatic bra9 injury by a ,dep>tm5t (  
,vet]ans ,affairs doctor or cl9ical     
social work] :o has treat$ ! vet]an2    
7#c7 has receiv$ evid5ce-bas$ treatm5t &
 rema9s symptomatic ( sev]e or extreme  
po/-traumatic /ress or sev]e traumatic  
bra9 injury1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y or
 a ,dep>tm5t doctor or cl9ical social   
work]2 &  7#d7 commits to an evaluation 
by a ,dep>tm5t doctor or cl9ical social 
work] at a m9imum ( two times p] ye>4   
7c7 ,relation%ip to o!r b5efits ,a      
s]vice dog provid$ to a vet]an pursuant 
to a contract "u ! pilot program %all be
 9 addition to all o!r b5efits & s]vices

 = :i* ! vet]an is eligible "u ! laws   
adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs4  7d7 ,qualifi$ nonpr(it       
organizations ,= purposes ( ! pilot     
program "u ?is section1 a qualifi$      
nonpr(it organization is a nonpr(it     
organization t ! ,secret>y det]m9es     
adh]es to ! national /&>ds = !          
selection1 tra9+1 & assessm5t ( s]vice  
dogs = vet]ans describ$ 9 section       
#d7;b74  7e7 ,annual reports to         
,congress ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date
 on :i* ! pilot program comm5ces1 &     
annually !reaft] until ! t]m9ation ( !  
pilot program1 ! ,secret>y %all submit  
to ! ,committees on ,vet]ans' ,affairs (
 ! ,s5ate & ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a   
report on ! pilot program4 ,ea* su*     
report %all include an evaluation ( !   
pilot program bas$ on--  7#a7 an update 
on ! nonpr(it organizations ) :i* !     
,secret>y has ent]$ into a contract2    
7#b7 summ>ies f ! ,dep>tm5t doctors &   
cl9ical social work]s :o are evaluat+ ! 
eligible vet]ans :o receive s]vice dogs 

"u ! pilot program2 &  7#c7 an analysis 
( ea* eligible vet]an's ability to      
pr(essionally & socially re9tegrate1 to 
r$uce dep5d5ce on prescriptive          
m$ications1 & on relevant metrics p]ta9+
 to ! vet]an's diagnosis ( a m5tal heal?
 mobility disord] relat$ to             
po/-traumatic /ress or a traumatic bra9 
injury4  7f7 ,limitation on paym5t (    
exp5ses ,! contract betwe5 ! ,secret>y &
 a qualifi$ nonpr(it organization "u ?is
 section %all n provide = a paym5t to ! 
organization 9 an am\nt 9 excess (      
#be1jjj = ea* s]vice dog provid$ "u !   
contract1 includ+ ! procurem5t1 tra9+1 &
 evaluation ( ! s]vice dog4  7g7        
,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re is  
au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ = ea* (      
fiscal ye>s #bjah ?r\gh #bjbc #g1ejj1jjj
 to c>ry out ! pilot program4  7h7      
,(fset ,! am\nts o!rwise au?oriz$ to be 
appropriat$ = ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans    
,affairs ,(fice ( ,human ,res\rces &    
,adm9i/ration = ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjah 
?r\gh #bjbc %all be r$uc$ by #g1ejj1jjj4

  7i7 ,t]m9ation ,! au?ority ( !        
,secret>y to ent] into a contract "u ?is
 section %all t]m9ate on ! date t is    
five ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is  
,act4  #d4 ,national /&>ds = selection1 
tra9+1 & assessm5t ( s]vice dogs  7a7   
,f9d+s ,congress makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3  
7#a7 ,at a conv5+ facilitat$ by !       
,national ,association ( ,vet]an-,s]v+  
,organizations1 a sci5tific advisory    
committee 0 =m$ & develop$ national     
/&>ds on ! selection1 tra9+1 & assessm5t
 ( s]vice dogs to enhance public safety1
 ! humane treatm5t ( s]vice dogs1 &     
reliable task p]=mance = vet]ans4  7#b7 
,! national /&>ds are publically        
available & may be subject to revision  
foll[+ a sample /udy & an annual review 
by ! sci5tific advisory committee4  7b7 
,/&>ds ,! national /&>ds = selection1   
tra9+1 & assessm5t ( s]vice dogs        
describ$ 9 ?is section are ! foll[+3    
7#a7 ,) respect to can9e bre$ & size1   
s]vice dogs %\ld n be re/rict$ by bre$  
or size z ! ne$s ( individual vet]ans   

v>y accord+ to mobility & life/yle4     
7#b7 ,) respect to can9e selection &    
heal?-- 7,a7 bre$s & l9es )9 ! bre$ %\ld
 be evaluat$ to ensure a long s]vice    
life = a work+ animal2  7,b7 s]vice dog 
c&idates %\ld h a ?or\gh exam9ation     
p]=m$ by a vet]9>ian2  7,c7 exam9ations 
%\ld include radiography ( ! hips &     
elb[s z a pr$ictor ( future jo9t &      
ar?ritic issues1 & vision & he>+ te/s2  
7,d7 s]vice dogs %\ld receive regul>    
wellness exams & vacc9ations z recomm5d$
 by a vet]9>ian1 be on ye>-r\nd int]nal 
& ext]nal p>asite control2 & be spay$ or
 neut]$2 &  7,e7 s]vice dog c&idates    
%\ld h a /able1 calm temp]am5t4  7#c7 ,)
 respect to can9e tra9+ tasks1 s]vice   
dogs %\ld be able to p]=m a m9imum ( two
 tasks t directly relate to ! vet]an's  
disability4  7#d7 ,) respect to can9e   
tra9+ me?ods & equipm5t-- 7,a7 s]vice   
dogs %\ld p]=m tasks ) alacrity & %[ a  
desire to "w2  7,b7 tra9+ equipm5t us$  
mu/ be appropriate = ! bre$ & dog1      
fitt$1 & us$ correctly2 &  7,c7         

electronic coll>s are n acceptable z a  
humane tra9+ tool4  7#e7 ,) respect to  
h&l] tra9+-- 7,a7 h&l]s %\ld be educat$ 
on ! fundam5tals ( dog c>e & ! humane   
treatm5t ( animals1 includ+ heal? c>e1  
nutriti\s diet1 regul> ex]cise1 & !     
abs5ce ( physical pa9 & /ress2 &  7,b7  
h&l]s mu/ be educat$ on legal rights    
accord+ to ! ,am]icans ) ,disabilities  
,act1 ,air ,c>ri] ,access ,act1 & ,fair 
,h\s+ ,act1 among o!rs4  7#f7 ,) respect
 to s]vice dog assessm5ts1 s]vice dogs &
 _! respective vet]ans %\ld be obs]v$ 9 
action 9 a public sett+s t provide      
common di/ractions su* z food1 noise1   
cr[ds1 & o!r animals4  7#g7 ,) respect  
to ! backgr\nd & role ( an assessor--   
7,a7 an assessor %\ld support & coa* !  
vet]an to successfully p>tn] ) !        
vet]an's s]vice dog2  7,b7 an assessor  
%\ld h a backgr\nd 9 s]vice dog tra9+ & 
evaluation & be exp]i5c$ 9 work+ )      
p]sons ) po/-traumatic /ress2 &  7,c7 an
 assessor %\ld evaluate :e!r ! s]vice   
dog is temp]am5tally suitable = ! "w z a

 s]vice dog4  7c7 ,s]vice dog cr$5tial  
,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all   
issue to an eligible vet]an :o is       
provid$ a s]vice dog "u ! pilot program 
"u section #c ) a national s]vice dog   
cr$5tial if ! vet]an provides to !      
,secret>y ea* ( ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,a      
c]tificate t ! vet]an has successfully  
complet$ an assessm5t t meets ! crit]ia 
"u subsection 7b77#f74  7#b7 ,pro( ( a  
diagnosis1 z describ$ 9 section         
#c7;b77#b71 f a ,dep>tm5t doctor or     
cl9ical social work]4  7#c7 ,a note f a 
,dep>tm5t doctor or cl9ical social work]
 t includes a recomm5dation t ! vet]an h
 a s]vice dog4  7#d7 ,a copy ( !        
vacc9ation records ( ! vet]an's s]vice  
dog & a note f ! vet]9>ian :o has treat$
 ! s]vice dog affirm+ t ! dog is heal?y 
en\gh to be a s]vice dog4  7#e7 ,a li/ (
 tasks prep>$ by :om t ! s]vice dog is  
able to p]=m t are directly relat$ to ! 
vet]an's diagnosis z det]m9$ by !       
,dep>tm5t doctor or cl9ical social work]
 :o made ! vet]an's diagnosis4