,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #fagj  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #aj1 #bjbj,mr4   
,lip9ski introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy &      
,comm]ce  ,a ,,bill  ,to direct !       
,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices to 
c>ry out a pilot program to /udy !      
efficacy ( dog-assi/$ !rapy on vuln]able
 populations1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4    
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,dogs ,(f]+ ,g5tle ,support ,actor !    
,,dogs ,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress makes
 ! foll[+ f9d+s3 7#a7 ,m$ical rese>* has
 demon/rat$ m5tal1 emotional1 &         
cognitive b5efits ( dog-assi/$ !rapy 9  
v>i\s populations4  7#b7 ,vuln]able     
populations1 su* z *ildr5 ) l[ read+    
compreh5sion1 eld]ly nurs+ home resid5ts
 & vet]ans suff]+ f po/-traumatic /ress 
disord]1 c see p>ticul>ly /rong b5efits 
f dog-assi/$ !rapy4  7#c7 ,congress %\ld
 support ?is gr[+ body ( rese>* by      
deploy+ ,f$]al ag5cy res\rces to det]m9e
 ! ways 9 :i* dog-assi/$ !rapy c be mo/ 

b5eficial4  7#d7 ,f9d+s f ! pilot       
program e/abli%$ "u ?is ,act c be       
in/ructive to ,/ate & local gov]nm5ts1  
non-pr(it organizations & o!r entities  
seek+ to make use ( dog-assi/$ !rapy4   
#c4 ,dep>tm5t ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices
 pilot program on dog-assi/$ !rapy  7a7 
,9 g5]al ,comm5c+ n lat] ?an #abj days  
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ! ,act1      
subject to ! availability (             
appropriations1 ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? &  
,human ,s]vices %all c>ry out a pilot   
program "u :i* ! ,secret>y %all make    
grants to appropriate non-gov]nm5t      
entities = ! purpose ( conduct+ r\t9e   
dog-assi/$ !rapy 9 v>i\s community      
sett+s & populations4 ,9 addition to !  
eligibility crit]ia 9 subsection 7e71 ! 
,secret>y may impose additional         
eligibility crit]ia necess>y = !        
effective function+ ( ! pilot program4  
7b7 ,purpose ,! purpose ( ?is program is
 to add to ! gr[+ body ( rese>* on !    
effectiv5ess ( dog-assi/$ !rapy 9 v>i\s 
sett+s & among v>i\s populations1 & to  

enc\rage ! broad] adoption ( dog-assi/$ 
!rapy 9 sett+s & among populations :]e  
su* !rapy (f]s prov5 b5efits4  7c7 ,s5se
 ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t 
vuln]able populations %\ld be prioritiz$
 9 grant aw>ds f ! ,secret>y to eligible
 entities4 ,su* populations may include1
 b are n limit$ to1 pati5ts 9 nurs+ or  
assi/$-liv+ facilities1 *ildr5 )        
intellectual & developm5tal disabilities
 9 academic sett+s1 & vet]ans seek+ c>e 
9 ,/ate or ,f$]al vet]ans' facilities4  
7d7 ,duration ( pilot program ,! pilot  
program requir$ by subsection 7a7 %all  
be c>ri$ out dur+ ! #c-ye> p]iod beg9n+ 
on ! date ( ! comm5cem5t ( ! pilot      
program4  7e7 ,eligibility & conditions 
on receipt ( grants ,z a condition (    
receiv+ a grant "u ?is section1 a       
non-gov]nm5t entity %all-- 7#a7 submit  
to ! ,secret>y c]tification t ! entity  
is an organization describ$ 9 section   
#eja7;c77#c7 ( ! ,int]nal ,rev5ue ,code 
( #aihf t visits community sett+s ) dogs
 = ! purposes ( provid+ dog-assi/$      

!rapy2  7#b7 ensure t dogs mak+ !rapy   
visits are c]tifi$ by a !rapy dog       
c]tification ) demon/rat$ exp]i5ce1     
national scope1 & recogniz$ lead]%ip &  
exp]tise 9 ! tra9+ ( !rapy dogs & _!    
h&l]s2  7#c7 agree to cov] all co/s 9   
excess ( ! grant am\nt2  7#d7 agree to a
 m9imum numb] ( r\t9e visits to a       
community sett+1 z det]m9$ by !         
,secret>y to ensure mean+ful impact on  
^? pres5t 9 ! sett+2  7#e7 ensure t any 
tra9+ ( dogs does n involve abusive     
me?ods su* z %ock coll>s1 & in/ead uses 
positive re9=cem5t tra9+2  7#f7 provide 
a wellness c]tification f a lic5s$      
vet]9>ian = any dog mak+ a !rapy visit  
"u ?is program2 &  7#g7 submit to !     
,secret>y an application conta9+ su*    
in=mation1 c]tification1 & assurances z 
! ,secret>y may require4  7f7           
,collection ( data ,9 c>ry+ out ?is     
section1 ! ,secret>y %all-- 7#a7 develop
 metrics & o!r appropriate means to     
measure ! impact ( r\t9e dog-assi/$     
!rapy on ! populations visit$ by        

non-gov]nm5t organizations approv$ "u   
subsection 7e72 &  7#b7 e/abli%         
processes to docum5t & track ! progress 
( populations "u ! program 9 t]ms ( !   
b5efits & improvem5ts not$ z a result ( 
! program4  7g7 ,,gao brief+ & /udy     
7#a7 ,brief+ ,n lat] ?an #a ye> aft] !  
date ( ! comm5cem5t ( ! pilot program "u
 subsection 7a71 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( 
! ,unit$ ,/ates %all provide to !       
,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce ( !     
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & to !          
,committee on ,heal?1 ,education1       
,labor1 & ,p5sions ( ! ,s5ate a brief+  
on ! me?odology e/abli%$ = ! program4   
7#b7 ,report ,n lat] ?an #bgj days aft] 
! date on :i* ! program 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+ vuln]able populations   
ov]come emotional or cognitive *all5ges2
 &  7,b7 relevant metrics1 includ+ ^?   

develop$ by ! ,secret>y "u p>agraph 7#a7
 ( subsection 7f74