,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bidi  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,novemb] #ba1          
#bjai,mrs4 ,fis*] 7= h]self1 ,mr4       
,book]1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,ms4 ,mc,sally1   
,mr4 ,br[n1 ,mr4 ,cornyn1 ,mr4 ,m55dez1 
,ms4 ,w>r51 & ,mr4 ,rubio7 introduc$ !  
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (     
,vet]ans ,affairs to make grants to     
eligible organizations to provide s]vice
 dogs to vet]ans ) sev]e 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 9 #bjad2  7,b7 m5tal heal?      
disord]s1 includ+ major depression & o!r
 mood disord]s1 h be5 associat$ )       
increas$ risk = suicide2  7,c7 s9ce     
#bjja1 ! proportion ( us]s ( ! ,vet]ans 
,heal? ,adm9i/ration ) m5tal heal?      
conditions or sub/ance use disord]s has 
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? 
diagnosis 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+ )       
respect to tra9+ ( ! s]vice dog z well z
 tra9+ ( ! vet]an ) ! s]vice dog4  7#c7 
,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]1 & a program & /udy to assess ! 
b5efits ( pair+ s]vice dogs ) vet]ans   
suff]+ f m5tal heal? disord]s w\ld all[ 
! ,dep>tm5t to bett] det]m9e ! efficacy 
( us+ s]vice dogs z a nontraditional    
!rapy to ensure ! well-be+ ( vet]ans4   
#c4 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs       
program to aw>d 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 c>ry out a program "u :i* 
! ,secret>y aw>ds grants to eligible    
organizations = eligible vet]ans ref]r$ 
to t organization = a s]vice dog pair+4 
7#b7 ,limitation ,! am\nt ( ! grant =   
ea* eligible vet]an ref]r$ to an        
eligible organization "u p>agraph 7#a7  
%all n to exce$ #be1jjj4  7b7 ,b5efits  

provid$  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,an organization 
t receives a grant "u subsection 7a7    
%all provide ! foll[+ = ea* s]vice dog &
 vet]an p>ticipat+ 9 ! program3  7,a7   
,cov]age ( a comm]cially available      
vet]9>y heal? insurance policy to ma9ta9
 ! heal? ( ! dog & keep ! dog function+ 
9 ! prescrib$ role = ! life ( ! dog4    
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 ,paym5ts =    
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  7#b7 ,o!r travel exp5ses ,if a  
vet]an is requir$ to replace a s]vice   
dog provid$ pursuant to a grant "u ?is  
section1 ! ,secret>y %all pay = ! travel
 exp5ses describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a77;,c7  
requir$ to obta9 a new s]vice dog       
pursuant to subsection 7c77#c71         
reg>dless ( any o!r b5efits ! vet]an is 

receiv+ = ! fir/ s]vice dog "u ?is      
section4  7c7 ,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]2  7,b7 meets
 ! publicly available national /&>ds =  
s]vice dog provid]s z set =? by !       
,association ( ,s]vice ,dog ,provid]s = 
,milit>y ,vet]ans2 &  7,c7 has exp]tise 
9 ! unique ne$s ( vet]ans )             
po/-traumatic /ress disord]2  7#b7 agree
 to cov] all co/s 9 excess ( ! grant    
am\nt to gu>antee ! b5efits li/$ "u     
subsection 7b77#a72  7#c7 agree to      
reaccept or replace a s]vice dog provid$
 by ! organization to a vet]an1 if      
necess>y1 z det]m9$ by ! vet]an & !     
organization2 &  7#d7 submit to !       
,secret>y an application conta9+ su*    
in=mation1 c]tification1 & assurances z 
! ,secret>y may require4  7d7 ,eligible 
vet]ans  7#a7 ,approval & ref]ral  7,a7 
,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans        

,affairs %all review & approve vet]ans  
eligible to p>ticipate "u ?is section & 
%all ref] approv$ vet]ans to eligible   
organizations4  7,b7 ,approval          
det]m9ation ,! p]iod beg9n+ on ! date on
 :i* a vet]an applies to p>ticipate "u  
?is section & ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y 
makes an approval det]m9ation may n     
exce$ #ij days4  7#b7 ,initial          
eligibility ,= purposes ( ?is section1  
an eligible vet]an is a vet]an-- 7,a7 :o
 is enroll$ 9 ! sy/em ( annual pati5t   
enrollm5t ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs e/abli%$ & op]at$ "u section   
#agje ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 
7,b7 :o has be5 treat$ & has complet$ an
 e/abli%$ evid5ce-bas$ treatm5t =       
po/-traumatic /ress disord] yet rema9s  
diagnos$ ) po/-traumatic /ress disord]  
by a qualifi$ heal? c>e provid] z rat$  
on ! po/-traumatic /ress disord] *eckli/
 7,,pcl-#e72  7,c7 ) respect to :om !   
heal? c>e provid] or cl9ical team ( !   
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs t is      
treat+ ! vet]an = su* disord] det]m9es  

bas$ ^u m$ical judgm5t t ! vet]an may   
pot5tially b5efit f a s]vice dog2 &     
7,d7 :o agrees to successfully complete 
tra9+ provid$ by an eligible            
organization pursuant to subsection 7c74
  7#c7 ,ongo+ eligibility ,to rema9     
eligible to p>ticipate 9 ! program "u   
?is section1 a vet]an %all see ! heal?  
c>e provid] or cl9ical team ( !         
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs treat+ !  
vet]an = po/-traumatic /ress disord] at 
lea/ once e #ahj days to det]m9e1 bas$  
on a cl9ical evaluation ( efficacy1 :e!r
 ! vet]an cont9ues to b5efit f a s]vice 
dog4  7#d7 ,o!r cases ,if at any po9t ! 
vet]an is no long] able or will+ to c>e 
= ! s]vice dog1 ! vet]an & !            
organization t provid$ ! s]vice dog to !
 vet]an %all det]m9e ! appropriate      
rec\rse to ensure ! safety ( bo? !      
vet]an & ! s]vice dog4  7e7 ,possession 
( s]vice dog ,except if det]m9$ o!rwise 
"u subsection 7d77#d71 an eligible      
vet]an 9 possession ( a s]vice dog      
furni%$ "u ! program may elect to keep !

 s]vice dog = ! life ( ! dog1 reg>dless 
( ! cont9u$ p>ticipation ( ! vet]an 9 ! 
program4  7f7 ,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 = po/-traumatic 
/ress disord]1 & 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  7g7 ,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  7h7 ,comptroll] ,g5]al      
brief+ & report  7#a7 ,brief+ ,n lat]   
?an "o ye> aft] ! date on :i* !         
,secret>y comm5ces ! program "u         
subsection 7a71 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( !
 ,unit$ ,/ates %all provide to !        
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'      
,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a  
brief+ on ! me?odology e/abli%$ = !     
program4  7#b7 ,report  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,n
 lat] ?an #c ye>s aft] provid+ ! brief+ 
"u p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al  
%all submit to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'
 ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives a report on ! program4  
7,b7 ,elem5ts ,! report requir$ "u      
subp>agraph 7,a7 %all include an        
evaluation ( ! approa* & me?odology us$ 
= ! program ) respect to--  7i7 help+   
vet]ans ) sev]e po/-traumatic /ress     
disord] return to civilian life2  7ii7  
relevant metrics1 su* z r$uction 9      
scores "u ! po/-traumatic /ress disord] 

*eckli/ 7,,pcl-#e71 improvem5t 9        
psy*osocial function1 & !rapeutic       
compliance2 &  7iii7 r$uc+ ! dep5d5ce ( 
p>ticipants 9 ! program on prescription 
n>cotics & psy*otropic m$ication4  7i7  
,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re is  
au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ = ! p]iod (  
fiscal ye> #bjbj ?r\gh fiscal ye> #bjbb1
 #aj1jjj1jjj to c>ry out ! program "u   
?is section4