,,ii  #aah? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bjfg  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,june #ba1 #bjbc,mr4   
,tillis 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,blum5?al1 ,mr4
 ,cram]1 & ,mr4 ,he9ri*7 introduc$ !    
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to require ! ,secret>y (    
,vet]ans ,affairs to aw>d grants to     
nonpr(it organizations to assi/ su*     
organizations 9 c>ry+ out programs to   
provide s]vice dogs to eligible vet]ans1
 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is
 ,act may be cit$ z ! ,s]vice ,dogs     
,assi/+ ,vet]ans ,act or ! ,,saves ,act4
  #b4 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs     
program to aw>d grants = ! provision (  
s]vice dogs to vet]ans  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! 
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      
require ! ,"u ,secret>y = ,heal? ( !    
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to e/abli%
 a program "u :i* ! ,secret>y %all aw>d 
grants1 on a competitive basis1 to      
nonpr(it organizations to assi/ su*     
organizations 9 c>ry+ out programs to   

provide s]vice dogs to eligible vet]ans4
  7b7 ,applications  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,to  
be eligible to receive a grant "u ?is   
section1 a nonpr(it organization %all   
submit an application to ! ,secret>y at 
su* "t1 9 su* mann]1 & conta9+ su*      
in=mation z ! ,secret>y may require4    
7#b7 ,elem5ts ,an application submitt$  
"u p>agraph 7#a7 %all include ! foll[+3 
7,a7 ,a proposal = ! evaluation requir$ 
by subsection 7d74  7,b7 ,a description 
( ! foll[+3 7i7 ,! tra9+ t w be provid$ 
by ! organization to eligible vet]ans4  
7ii7 ,! tra9+ ( dogs t w s]ve z s]vice  
dogs4  7iii7 ,! aft]c>e s]vices t !     
organization w provide = su* dogs &     
eligible vet]ans4  7iv7 ,! plan =       
publiciz+ ! availability ( su* dogs     
?r\gh a m>ket+ campaign t t>gets        
eligible vet]ans4  7v7 ,! commitm5t ( ! 
organization to h humane /&>ds =        
animals4  7,c7 ,a /atem5t c]tify+ t !   
organization is accr$it$ by ,assi/ance  
,dogs ,int]national or ano!r simil>     
widely recogniz$ accr$itation           

organization t ! ,secret>y det]m9es has 
accr$itation /&>ds t meet or exce$ !    
/&>ds ( ,assi/ance ,dogs ,int]national4 
7c7 ,use ( funds  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!      
recipi5t ( a grant "u ?is section %all  
use ! grant am\nts to plan1 design1     
e/abli%1 or op]ate 7or any comb9ation   
!re(7 "o or m programs t provide s]vice 
dogs to eligible vet]ans4  7#b7 ,equal  
access ,! ,secret>y %all require ea*    
recipi5t ( a grant "u ?is section to    
provide equal access to s]vice dogs to  
eligible vet]ans :o are wom54  7d7      
,evaluations ,! ,secret>y %all require  
ea* recipi5t ( a grant "u ?is section to
 conduct an evaluation ( ! effectiv5ess 
( ! activities c>ri$ out ?r\gh ! grant  
by su* recipi5t4  7e7 ,maximum am\nt ,! 
total am\nt ( grants aw>d$ to ea*       
nonpr(it organization "u ?is section may
 n exce$ #b1jjj1jjj4  7f7 ,def9itions ,9
 ?is section3 7#a7 ,eligible vet]an     
7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! t]m eligible vet]an    
means a vet]an :o-- 7i7 is enroll$ 9 !  
sy/em ( annual pati5t enrollm5t ( !     

,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs e/abli%$ &
 op]at$ "u section #agje7;a7 ( title    
#ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 &  7ii7 has "o
 or m disabilities describ$ 9           
subp>agraph 7,b74  7,b7 ,disability     
describ$ ,a disability describ$ 9 ?is   
subp>agraph is any ( ! foll[+3 7i7      
,bl9dness or visual impairm5t4  7ii7    
,loss ( use ( a limb1 p>alysis1 or o!r  
significant mobility issue4  7iii7 ,loss
 ( he>+4  7iv7 ,traumatic bra9 injury4  
7v7 ,po/-traumatic /ress disord]4  7vi7 
,milit>y sexual trauma4  7vii7 ,any o!r 
disability t ! ,secret>y consid]s       
appropriate4  7#b7 ,s]vice dog  7,a7 ,9 
g5]al ,! t]m s]vice dog means any dog t 
is individually tra9$ to d "w or p]=m   
tasks t are-- 7i7 = ! b5efit ( an       
individual ) a disability1 includ+ a    
physical or s5sory disability or a      
psy*iatric1 intellectual1 or o!r m5tal  
disability2 &  7ii7 directly relat$ to !
 disability ( ! individual4  7,b7 ,"w & 
tasks ,! crime-det]r5t effects ( !      
pres5ce ( a dog & ! provision by a dog (

 emotional support1 well-be+1 com=t1 or 
companion%ip d n con/itute "w or tasks =
 ! purposes ( subp>agraph 7,a74  7g7    
,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re is  
au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to c>ry out  
?is ,act #aj1jjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal ye>s
 #bjbd ?r\gh #bjbh4