,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cajc  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,june #e1 #bjai,mr4   
,ru!r=d 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,cisn]os1 ,mr4 
,waltz1 ,mr4 ,lawson ( ,florida1 & ,mr4 
,/iv]s7 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 grant program "u :i* ! ,secret>y  
%all make grants to private entities = !
 provision ( s]vice dogs to eligible    
vet]ans ) po/-traumatic /ress disord]1 &
 = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is  
,act may be cit$ z ! ,puppies ,assi/+   
,w\nd$ ,s]vicememb]s ,act ( #bjai or !  
,,paws ,act ( #bjai4  #b4 ,f9d+s2 s5se (
 ,congress  7a7 ,f9d+s ,congress makes !
 foll[+ f9d+s3  7#a7 ,accord+ to !      
analyses ( vet]an suicide publi%$ by !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 9 ,augu/  
#bjaf entitl$ ,suicide ,among ,vet]ans &
 ,o!r ,am]icans & 9 ,june #bjah entitl$ 
,,va ,national ,suicide ,date ,report-- 
7,a7 an av]age ( #bj vet]ans di$ by     

suicide ea* day dur+ #bjad2  7,b7 m5tal 
heal? disord]s1 includ+ major depression
 & o!r mood disord]s1 h be5 associat$ ) 
increas$ risk = suicide2  7,c7 !        
proportion ( us]s ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?   
,adm9i/ration ) m5tal heal? conditions  
or sub/ance use disord]s increas$ f     
approximately #bg p]c5t 9 #bjja to m ?an
 #dj p]c5t 9 #bjad2 &  7,d7 ov]all1     
suicide rates are highe/ among pati5ts )
 m5tal heal? & sub/ance use disord]     
diagnoses :o are 9 treatm5t & l[] among 
^? :o receiv$ a m5tal heal? diagnoses b 
7 n at risk en\gh to require enhanc$ c>e
 f a m5tal heal? provid]4  7#b7 ,pair+ a
 s]vice dog ) a vet]an co/s             
approximately #be1jjj1 includ+ tra9+ ( !
 s]vice dog z well z tra9+ ( ! vet]an ) 
! s]vice dog & foll[-up s]vices &       
support4  7#c7 ,organizations l ,k#is ,=
 ,w>riors & o!r memb]s ( ! ,association 
( ,s]vice ,dog ,provid]s = ,milit>y     
,vet]ans h prov5 track-records ( tra9+  
s]vice dogs = vet]ans ) sev]e           
po/-traumatic /ress disord] &           

dramatically improv+ ^? vet]ans' quality
 ( life1 ability to re-ent] society1 &1 
mo/ importantly1 _! *ances ( survival4  
7#d7 ,new1 rigor\s sci5tific rese>*     
provides p]suasive weight to ! gr[+     
anecdotal evid5ce t s]vice dogs         
ameliorate ! symptoms associat$ )       
po/-traumatic /ress disord]1 & 9        
p>ticul>1 help prev5t vet]an suicide4   
7b7 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se (    
,congress t ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs mu/ be m effective 9 its       
approa* to r$uc+ ! burd5 ( vet]an       
suicide connect$ to m5tal heal?         
disord]s1 includ+ po/-traumatic /ress   
disord]4  #c4 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs program to provide grants = !  
provision ( s]vice dogs to c]ta9 vet]ans
 ) sev]e po/-traumatic /ress disord]    
7a7 ,grants  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all make grants to 
eligible organizations = ! purposes (   
provid+ s]vice dogs to eligible vet]ans4
  7#b7 ,am\nt ( grant ,a grant "u ?is   
section %all be 9 an am\nt n to exce$   

#be1jjj = ea* eligible vet]an pair$ ) a 
s]vice dog4  7b7 ,eligible organizations
 ,to be eligible to receive a grant "u  
?is section1 an organization %all-- 7#a7
 be a nonpr(it organization t--  7,a7   
provides s]vice dogs to vet]ans )       
po/-traumatic /ress disord] 7h]e9aft] 9 
?is section ref]r$ to z ,,ptsd72  7,b7  
meets ! publicly available ,national    
,/&>d ( ! ,association ( ,s]vice ,dog   
,provid]s = ,milit>y ,vet]ans2 &  7,c7  
has exp]tise 9 ! unique ne$s ( vet]ans )
 ,,ptsd2  7#b7 agree to provide !       
b5efits describ$ 9 subsection 7c7 &1 if 
necess>y1 to cov] any co/s associat$ ) !
 provision ( su* b5efits 9 excess ( !   
am\nt ( ! grant2  7#c7 agree to reaccept
 or replace any s]vice dog !            
organization provides to a vet]an us+ a 
grant "u ?is section1 if necess>y1 z    
det]m9$ by ! organization & ! vet]an2 & 
7#d7 submit to ! ,secret>y an           
application conta9+ su* in=mation1      
c]tification1 & assurances z ! ,secret>y
 may reasonably require4  7c7 ,b5efits  

,to be provid$ us+ grant funds ,an      
organization t receives a grant "u      
subsection 7a7 %all use ! grant to--    
7#a7 provide a s]vice dog = ea* eligible
 vet]an p>ticipat+ 9 ! program2  7#b7 = 
ea* s]vice dog provid$1 to provide--    
7,a7 comm]cially available or           
,gov]nm5t-gu>ante$ vet]9>y heal?        
insurance to ma9ta9 ! heal? ( ! dog &   
keep ! dog function+ 9 ! prescrib$ role 
= ! life ( ! dog2 &  7,b7 h>dw>e1 or    
repairs or replacem5ts = h>dw>e1 t are  
cl9ically det]m9$ to be requir$ by ! dog
 to p]=m ! tasks necess>y to assi/ !    
vet]an ) ! diagnos$ disord] ( ! vet]an4 
7#c7 cov] ! co/ ( any travel exp5ses = !
 vet]an to obta9 ! dog1 calculat$ 9 !   
same mann] z simil> travel exp5ses      
provid$ pursuant to section #aaa ( title
 #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7d7 ,travel 
exp5ses = replacem5t dogs ,if a vet]an  
replaces a s]vice dog provid$ pursuant  
to a grant "u ?is section1 ! ,secret>y  
%all pay an additional am\nt = su* !    
travel exp5ses1 to be calculat$ 9 ! same

 mann] z simil> travel exp5ses provid$  
pursuant to section #aaa ( title #ch1   
,unit$ ,/ates ,code4 ,su* paym5t %all be
 9 addition to any o!r b5efits ! vet]an 
receives = ! fir/ s]vice dog provid$ "u 
?is section4  7e7 ,eligible vet]ans     
7#a7 ,initial eligibility ,= purposes ( 
?is section1 an eligible vet]an is a    
vet]an :o-- 7,a7 is enroll$ 9 ! pati5t  
enrollm5t sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans
 ,affairs "u section #agje ( title #ch1 
,unit$ ,/ates ,code2  7,b7 has be5      
treat$ & has complet$ an e/abli%$       
evid5ce-bas$ treatm5t = ,,ptsd yet      
rema9s diagnos$ ) ,,ptsd by a qualifi$  
heal? c>e provid]1 z rat$ on !          
po/-traumatic /ress disord] *eckli/     
7,,pcl-#e72  7,c7 ! heal? c>e provid] or
 cl9ical team ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans  
,affairs t is treat+ ! vet]an = su*     
disord] det]m9es1 bas$ ^u m$ical        
judgm5t1 t ! vet]an may pot5tially      
b5efit f a s]vice dog2 &  7,d7 agrees to
 successfully complete tra9+ provid$ by 
an eligible organization 9 conjunction )

 ! receipt ( a s]vice dog4  7#b7 ,ongo+ 
eligibility ,to rema9 eligible to       
p>ticipate 9 ! program1 a vet]an %all   
see ! heal? c>e provid] or cl9ical team 
( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs treat+
 ! vet]an = su* a disord] at lea/ once e
 six mon?s to det]m9e1 bas$ on a cl9ical
 evaluation ( efficacy1 :e!r ! vet]an   
cont9ues to b5efit f a s]vice dog4  7#c7
 ,o!r cases ,if at any po9t1 ! vet]an is
 no long] able or will+ to c>e = !      
s]vice dog1 ! organization t provid$ !  
s]vice dog & ! vet]an %all det]m9e !    
appropriate rec\rse to ensure ! safety (
 bo? ! vet]an & ! s]vice dog4  7f7      
,approval ( grant applications ,!       
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs may review
 an application submitt$ by an eligible 
organization = a grant "u ?is section   
only aft] ! organization accepts an     
eligible vet]an into an appropriate     
program4 ,! ,secret>y %all approve or   
d5y su* an application n lat] ?an #ij   
days aft] ! date on :i* an eligible     
organization applies to p>ticipate "u   

?is section on behalf ( an eligible     
vet]an4  7g7 ,relation%ip to ,dep>tm5t (
 ,vet]ans ,affairs b5efits ,! provision 
( a s]vice dog to a vet]an "u ?is       
section is 9 addition to any o!r        
hospital c>e or m$ical s]vice furni%$ by
 ! ,dep>tm5t = t vet]an = ,,ptsd4 ,an   
improvem5t 9 symptoms z a result ( !    
provision ( a s]vice dog %all n affect !
 eligibility ( ! vet]an = any o!r b5efit
 "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y4  7h7
 ,metrics ,9 c>ry+ out ?is section1 !   
,secret>y %all-- 7#a7 develop metrics & 
o!r appropriate means to measure1 )     
respect to vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 !       
program1 ! improvem5t 9 psy*osocial     
function & !rapeutic compliance ( su*   
vet]ans & *anges ) respect to ! dep5d5ce
 on prescription n>cotics & psy*otropic 
m$ication ( su* vet]ans2 &  7#b7 e/abli%
 processes to docum5t & track ! progress
 ( su* vet]ans "u ! program 9 t]ms ( !  
b5efits & improvem5ts not$ z a result ( 
! program4  7i7 ,,gao brief+ & /udy     
7#a7 ,brief+ ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] !  

date on :i* ! ,secret>y comm5ces ! grant
 program "u ?is section1 ! ,comptroll]  
,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates %all provide to
 ! ,committees on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !
 ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,s5ate a   
brief+ on ! me?odology e/abli%$ = !     
program4  7#b7 ,report ,n lat] ?an #bgj 
days aft] ! date on :i* ! grant program 
"u ?is section t]m9ates1 ! ,comptroll]  
,g5]al %all submit to ! committees      
specifi$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 a report on !  
program4 ,su* report %all include an    
evaluation ( ! approa* & me?odology us$ 
= ! program ) respect to--  7,a7 help+  
vet]ans ) sev]e ,,ptsd return to        
civilian life2  7,b7 relevant metrics1  
includ+ any r$uction 9 metrics1 includ+ 
r$uction 9 scores "u ! po/-traumatic    
/ress disord] *eckli/ 7,,pcl-#e71       
improvem5t 9 psy*osocial function1 &    
!rapeutic compliance2 &  7,c7 r$uc+ !   
dep5d5ce ( p>ticipants on prescription  
n>cotics & psy*otropic m$ication4  7j7  
,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re is  
au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ = ! p]iod (  

fiscal ye> #bjai ?r\gh fiscal ye> #bjbb1
 #aj1jjj1jjj to c>ry out ! program "u   
?is section4  7k7 ,t]m9ation ,! au?ority
 to c>ry out a program "u ?is section   
%all t]m9ate on ! date t is #c ye>s aft]
 ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4 ,an    
eligible vet]an 9 possession ( a s]vice 
dog furni%$ "u ! program z ( ! date ( ! 
t]m9ation ( ! program may keep ! s]vice 
dog aft] ! t]m9ation ( ! program = !    
life ( ! dog4